Why they're Hot: Genencor – #6 so far (#26 last year)

The Latest News: Last May, Genencor updated on its market outlook and strategy just after the launch of Accellerase Duet. Bjarne Andersen, VP of Business Development for the company, said that the company is continuing on its two-pronged strategy of supplying enzymes both to Dupont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol (in which it holds a 50 percent stake) and to additional cellulosic ethanol companies for whom the DDCE “total technology package” is not an ideal fit.

Andersen confirmed that the company is pursuing a strategy of maximizing feedstock flexibility — not only including the energy grasses and corn cobs pursued in the 2010-12 path for DDCE, but indicated that the company has done extensive testing on sugarcane bagasse, and indicated that Brazil was a potential area for future activity in cases where power supply to the grid is less economically viable for sugarcane ethanol companies who are currently burning bagasse for power generation.

Andersen identified Asia as a future area for bioenergy activity, and suggested that the company’s experience in China gave it a positive outlook on IP protection issues, despite the country’s iffy reputation in IP; Andersen also mentioned Japan as a country of interest. AnderHesen characterized Europe as a strong candidate for expansion of cellulosic ethanol “as technology providers there move towards a stronger global focus,” citing the licenses recently signed by Inbicon as an example of where that company has been able to move beyond the “politically difficult” European environment.

The Digest’s Take: The launch of Accellerase Duet for cellulosic biofuels development has taken the company to a whole new level, with an opportunity at the front rank of the transition to cellulosic biofuels, At the same time, progress on bioisoprene and other renewables chemicals has shown readers that the company is not only gaining depth with advanced enzymes, but even more breadth.