Industrial enzymes producer Novozymes does not expect a major breakthrough in second-generation bioethanol in the United States for another four to five years, a senior executive said.
Novozymes' marketing director for biofuels, Poul Ruben Andersen, told Reuters he now sees no scope for second-generation ethanol to make a U.S. breakthrough until 2014 or 2015.
In earlier 2010, Andersen said he did not expect large volumes of second-generation ethanol to be produced until 2012.
Second-generation biofuels are made of plant waste, such as straw or corn cobs and husks rather than from food crops, and the industry is in its infancy. Such fuels can be blended with gasoline to run cars, just like first-generation bioethanol.
Andersen said he expected the first commercial-scale plants to be up and running in 2013.
