Biobutanol has arrived in Brazil. Butamax Advanced
 Biofuels LLC, the joint-venture company formed by DuPont Danisco and BP, has
 opened a biobutanol technology laboratory in Paulinia, Brazil. The technology
 laboratory is an important milestone in Brazil that allows the company to test
 local feedstocks and refine a sugarcane-to-biobutanol technology, according to
 Tim Potter, CEO of Butamax. 
 The new facility will also allow Butamax to study and
 properly design for the impact of specific cane feedstock characteristics using
 the Butamax process, Potter said, not only chemical composition, but also
 biological components such as naturally occurring yeast and bacteria. &#8220;In
 addition, Paulinia will be our first step in confirming vinasse composition,
 gaining regulatory approvals and achieving customer acceptance,&#8221; he said.

 Vinasse, a byproduct of sugar processing that can be used for ethanol
 production, would be characterized and tested in greenhouse studies to
 demonstrate safe and effective application to sugarcane, Potter added. 
 To produce biobutanol via sugarcane, there are two key
 changes to Butamax&#8217;s process, according to Potter. &#8220;The first step is
 utilization of the Butamax yeast to produce iso-butanol from sucrose in
 fermentation. By our choice of yeast as a host organism, we can minimize
 changes to equipment and operating protocols.&#8221; The second step involves
 modification of the distillation section to recover biobutanol. &#8220;Furthermore,&#8221;
 he said, &#8220;the recovery process is integrated with the fermentation section in

 order to reduce exposure of the yeast to the alcohol during fermentation.&#8221; So,
 he added, &#8220;we will achieve high production rates by two mechanisms, first,
 biologically with a high-performance pathway and development of tolerant yeast
 strains. Second, with process engineering to remove the biobutanol product as
 it is produced.&#8221; 
 Other researchers from the laboratory will initially
 provide the sugarcane for research purposes. Butamax is also working in the
 U.S., U.K. and Germany.&nbsp;

Biobutanol has arrived in Brazil. Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC, the joint-venture company formed by DuPont Danisco and BP, has opened a biobutanol technology laboratory in Paulinia, Brazil.

Butamax opens facility in Brazil

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