A stable 2G bioethanol yeast stain formulation: Scalable dry C5 yeast production for commercial application

The project aims to demonstrate an effecient and economical production of C5 yeast fermenting active dry yeast for 2nd generation bioethanol production.

Terranol has deveolped a yeast stain licensed for use in one of the first lage scale commercial plants, with a favorable combination of efficient xylose fermentation and high robustness. The latest industrial scale demonstration project in Kalundborg with Dong Energy resulted in production of wheat straw-based bioethanol with complete conversion of available fermantable sugars within 48 hours.

However, there are problems with production and delivery of large quantities of 5C yeast biomass to full commercial scale, since experiemces with modified yeasts have been that properties such as aerobic growth, yeast cream stability and ability to survive drying are often reduced or lost during yeast development.

Development and demonstration of high-performance aerobic propagation process and a process that resultes in a stable dry yeast prduct has become an equally important requirement from potential 2G bioethanol manufactures as demonstration of high prductivitu in the ethanol process.

This project will develop a scalable and industrially suitable propagation- and persevation process tailored to the latest Terranol stains. Equipment and methods for the development in laboratory scale will be selected in order to match as closely as possible industrial scale equipment.