Today Novozymes, the world leader in bioinnovation, announced an
exploratory research agreement with Sea6 Energy, an India-based
company, to jointly develop a process for the production of
biofuels from seaweed. The research alliance will use enzymes to
convert seaweed-based carbohydrates to sugar, which can then be
fermented to produce ethanol for fuel, fine chemicals, proteins
for food, and fertilizers for plants. Novozymes will research,
develop, and manufacture enzymes for the conversion process,
while Sea6 Energy contributes its offshore seaweed cultivation
technology. Seaweed is a natural complement to our efforts to
convert other types of biomass to fuel ethanol,” says Per
Falholt, Executive Vice President and CSO of Novozymes. “More
than half of the dry mass in seaweed is sugar, and the potential
is therefore significant.”Harvesting the ocean for sustainable
biofuels and food proteins Seaweed, technically known as
macroalgae, is one of the world’s fastest growing plants. It
does not require irrigation