DuPont joins project to boost biogas

DUPONT is taking part in an EU project to demonstrate how enzymes can boost biogas yields.

The DEMETER project, which is part of a wider EU effort to develop a specific enzyme to boost biogas production, involves companies throughout the supply chain. The partners include enzyme developer DuPont Industrial Biosciences, anaerobic digester experts OWS and biogas farm company Biomoer.

The goal of the project is to scale up an enzyme-producing fermentation process and reduce its costs by 15%, as well as demonstrate the enzymes in field trials. The project will be completed over the next three years.

“Ultimately, this project will demonstrate to biomethane producers the power of enzymes to improve biogas yields and process robustness, ultimately increasing their revenue and profitability,” said Conrad Burke, global marketing director at DuPont.

While enzymes can increase the conversion of wastes to valuable resources, none has yet been developed that can be produced at a large enough scale for economic industrial use, according to the DEMETER website.

DuPont says it has recently developed a new enzyme that in recent field trials has shown “a promising 10% cost-reduction in the production of biogas from organic waste”.

The wider DEMETER project seeks to increase the yield of industrial fermentation processes by at least 20%, improve product recovery by 40%, and reduce overall enzyme product costs by at least 15%.