Novozymes win Sustainability Award for 6th time.

Danish biotech group, Novozymes (NZYM.CO)has taken the top position in Dow Jones Sustainability Group Index's biotech category for the 6th time.The annual Dow Jones review is based on an assessment of corporate economic, environmental and social performance. Itevaluates corporate governance, employee development, climate change, supply chain standards and labour practices.The results form the basis for ranking 317 companies in the global index (World) and 156 companies in the pan-European index (STOXX).

Novozymes is of course the world leader in developing enzyme systems for extracting saccharides from biomass for producing biofuels by fermentation. With the Canadian company Sunopta (STKL O)they are involved in producing the world's first production unit in Spain and a major new contract in China with CRAC the China Resources Alcohol Corporation which is a business area under China National Cereals, Oils & Foodstuff Corporation (COFC) one of the biggest companies in China to install a pilot factory for the production of cellulose-ethanol in Zhaodong in Heilongjiang province.(June 23rd 2006)

The Chinese central government recently announced a US$5.0-billion investment over the next 10 years on expanding ethanol capacity focussing on cellulosic ethanol (China is an importer of cereal crops). China is currently the world’s third-largest producer of ethanol behind the US and Brazil, producing more than 1 billion gallons of all grades in 2005.

CRAC is the second-largest ethanol producer in China. CRAC’s intend to install 5,000 tonnes per year (1.7 Million US gallons per year) of cellulosic ethanol capacity by the end of 2007 and 1,000,000 tonnes per year (330 million US gallons per year) by 2012, utilizing multiple lines of SunOpta’s proprietary process technology and equipment.

Three years ago the enzymes used to make a US gallon of cellulosic ethanol cost US$2.00.

Around that time, Novozymes received a grant from the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and has since reduced the cost of the enzymes process thirty fold, down to about 14 cents a gallon.

Currently the biggest obstacle and major cost is the removal / storage / trucking of the corn stover (stems and leaves) from field to factory.