Research and Outcomes | 2013 by LNBR/CNPEM

For the director of CTBE, Carlos Alberto cant results achieved by the Laboratory in 2013 are due to the successful combination of professionals with experience in bioenergy and young researchers willing to produce it.

message of the director ly due to a perfect combination The laboratory has an excellent infrastructure for scale up of ethanol production technologies and It also count on with experienced professionals at bioenergy directing the ability of young researchers rential when facing complex and

2012, occurred at an important

Another project moving forward was the low impact mePrototypes of the base machine and harvest heads of the Controltheir test phase, in order to increase productivity and reduce soil

In 2013 it was also started new projects in partnership with major companies in the chemical and sugar-energy sector, many of them

a transition from implantation to This is a tendency to be expanded

It was the case, for example, of the Pilot Plant for Process Develop-

large research institutes in Brazil -

biotechnological process was validated in the PPDP for seven consecutive months, 24 hours a day, the proper commissioning of the facility and its suitability for large scheduling initiatives in the ethanol

nological bottlenecks.

Carlos Alberto Labate Director of CTBE

Aerial view of CNPEM campus in Campinas-SP, with architectural project of the new synchrotron light source (Sirius), under construction.

contents

CNPEM The Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), located Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) to manage four national laboratories: Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS), Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio), Brazilian Bioethanol Science and Technology Laboratory (CTBE) and Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano). LNLS operates the only Synchrotron Light Source in Latin America, LNBio conducts research focused on biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, CTBE investigates new technologies for bioenergy production and LNNano conducts research in advanced materials, with high economic potential for Brazil. These laboratories develop their own research projects and participate of skills around strategic themes.

Facade of the CTBE main building, Lab created with the aim of contributing to the Brazilian competitiveness in industrial production and conversion of biomass into fuels and other high added-value compounds.

about CTBE ce and Technology Laboratory -

technical, economic, environmental nery systems is also available to the

main goal of the Laboratory is to contribute to the Brazilian competitiveness in production and industrial conversion of biomass into

The Pilot Plant for Process Deenvironment in Brazil allows the -

electricity and compounds derived -

biomass conversion into cellulosic ethanol and other products pre-

and technical support are offered for Brazilian and foreign users that work with production, characterization and processing of biomass and derivatives as well as studies of functional biology, biotechnolo-

One the other hand the Laboratoryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s internal research agenda is dedicated to agricultural, industrial, technological assessment, sustainability and basic research of biomass/bioproducts areas,

Mission Contribute to the advancecal knowledge in the production, conversion and use of biomass for energy and materials, through research, development, innovation

Vision Being a National Laboratory of excellence in research, development, innovation and technology transfer in the biomass and bioe-

High Quality Human Capital and Publications Patents and Win-win Partnerships with Producive Sector

Sophisticated R&D Environment

Research in the Whole Productive Cycle of Biomass/bioproducts Scale up of Bioenergy Process

Events: Networking and Dissemination of Results

Relevant Projects: Low Impact Mechanization

at a glance the sugarcane crop, with the development of machinery that may re• It undertakes research and innovation at the international level in the area of biomass for energy production, especially ethanol

promoting increases in sugarcane yield and lifespan, reducing dama-

• It holds a platform for technical, economic, environmental -

• It ended 2013 with 215 pro-

• It houses three buildings 2 cipal, which includes laboratories and researchers’ rooms, Pilot Plant for Process Development ture designed for technology scale up, with the purpose of transferring processes from laboratory • It works in the establishment of low impact mechanization on

• It has published over 230 • It signed 13 cooperation agreements with companies in

events in the bioenergy area, especially the annual workshops cane Physiology for Agronomic

our history 2005 Development of the Ethanol Project the research divisions and projects of the CTBE. The physicist RogĂŠrio coordinated the study that was attended by about 20 professionals from different institutions.

November 2008 Beginning of the construction of CTBE facilities. Three buildings were constructed totaling approximately 9,000 m2, in the Campus of CNPEM.

February 2009 First workshop was performed for the evaluation of CTBE research divisions. In two years, representatives of the academic and industrial communities participated, at different times, in the discussion of the themes and

January 22, 2010 Opening of the CTBE, which counted with the presence of former President of Brazil, Luiz lnรกcio Lula da Silva, and other regional and national authorities. The ceremony also celebrated partnerships of the Laboratory.

August 2013 of a biotechnological process scale up in the Pilot Plant that made bioreactors and other utilities remained in uninterrupted operation during seven months, certifying the proper commissioning of the facility.

May 2011 Signing of agreement with BNDES (Funtec line) which provides years for the implementation of low impact mechanization management on the sugarcane crop.

Hydrolysis reactor of biomass in laboratory scale. It is used of enzyme cocktails developed for industrial use in the second generation ethanol production

R&D facilities

infrastructure of science and technology in the biomass and bio-

Bioprocesses for Microorganisms -

is the possibility of processes scale

Laboratories and Pilot Plant of the

Pilot Plant for Process Development (PPDP) Professionals use the Pilot

Agricultural Prototypes Labotatory (LPA) There it is developed machinery necessary for the implementation of low impact mechanization

and demonstrate, in semi-indusit is developed at LPA a Controlled and stability of technological routes for production of ethanol and other compounds derived from techno-economic and sustainability indicators of processes, minimizing risks, provides bottlenecks and optimizes processes and in-

Processes Development Laboratories (LDP) tiple reactors capable of processing lignocellulosic biomass and its derivatives for conversion into cellulosic ethanol, chemical buil-

Panoramic image of the Pilot Plant for Process Development (PPDP) of the CTBE, used for scale up of technological routes for the production of ethanol and other compounds derived from biomass.

Wide range of physical and chemical processes are studied in order to validate processes and develop new routes, seeking technology

In these Labs researchers study and develop biotechnological processes related to ethanol pro-

Analytical Center for Biomass and forms, as routine, several analytical protocols applied to biomass pro-

The facilities of microbial cultivapped with bioreactors from diffe-

The

following

laboratories

monitoring probes for measure of

ment for monitoring bioprocesses

cabinets,

microbiological

gree-

Bioprocesses Development Laboratories (LDB)

conducting research and development of process with genetically

The following laboratories In-

Functional Biology, Biotechnology and Biophysics Laboratories Plant physiology studies analyze the relationship between photosynthesis and biomass accumulation, assessment of water

such as functional genomics, metagenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, systems biology, genetics and metabolic engineering for bio-prospecting of microorganisms and enzymes and for understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in the plant biomass conversion by enzymatic also used in order to improve the catalytic performance of characIntegrate this cluster of labs -

In the molecular biology area scientists employ approaches,

• low impact mechanization • conservation agriculture • nutrients and agro-industrial residues management • physiology of the sugarcane production

• evaluation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions • direct and indirect impacts on land use changes • carbon storage in the soil and gaseous emissions • assessment of socioeconomic impacts • water use and impacts on water resources • geoprocessing and remote sensing • integrated analysis of sustainability

• pretreatment of lignocellulosic materials • conversion of biomass into industrial products • fractionation and characterization of biomass and its derivatives • bioprocess science and engineering • Industrial biotechnology for biomass conversion • science and engineering of chemical and biochemical reactors • scale up and validation of processes

• • • • •

plant physiology applied microbiology and biotechnology analytical tools for biomass and derivatives computational and system biology enzyme production and lignocellulosic hydrolysis

• assessment of the impacts of new bioenergy technologies • input-output analysis (socioeconomic impacts) • life-cycle assessment (environmental impacts)

internal research

for scientific and technological investigation is performed in its five research divisions, focused on the main bottlenecks in the biomass / bioenergy production

Research Groups: Innovation cision Agriculture and Low Carbon

Biomass Processing Biomass Production and solutions focused on the evolution of economic and environmental aspects of the agricultural mechanization of sugarcane, with emphasis on production costs,

group develops a Controlled Tra-

serving soil nutrients and saving native harvesting process, embedded to three prototypes being

projects involve planting and precision fertilizing and studies on soil

to convert biomass into fuels, new materials, and chemicals for seveuse biochemical, metabolic and cess proof-of-concepts at laboraA major differential of the group is the Pilot Plant for Processionals are still developing methodologies for the characterization of biomass and its derivatives and conceptual projects processes reResearch

Groups:

Applied

metabolites present in plant tissues.

projects and planning investment Research

Groups:

Develo-

Integrated Evaluation It works on the development of a computational simulation tool different new technologies and agricultural strategies in the sugarcane sector through assessment of their sustainability indicators tool can contribute to companies, governments and research and development institutions setting priorities, assessing the success of

Sustainability of Biomass and Bioenergy Production It assesses the sustainability of the current production process in the bioenergy sector, considering also includes technological innovations, mainly from the contributions industrial phases, and the expanThe integrated approach of

Microscopic image of the cross section of a sugarcane stem. A deep knowledge of this molecular

the research group exploits synergies between different aspects of sed on a geo-referenced database that enables the combination of data in areas such as evaluation of

fuels, materials, chemical products and other high value-added biogenetic and metabolic engineering

impacts on land use changes and carbon storage in the soil, water Research Groups: -

Functional Biology, Biotechnology and Biophysics It aims unravel the mechanisms of plant production and growth,

approaches aim at the development, improvement and diffusion of relevant technologies to academic Research

Groups:

physics abd Analitical Methods for and Computational Biology and

CTBE develops research in the agricultural, industrial, technology assessment, sustainability and basic research of biomass/ bioproducts cycle, either independently or in partnership with the main bioenergy companies and research institutions.

research highlights

nificant impacts in several areas related to the biomass and biochers effort contribute to improve agricultural, industrial and sustainability indicators of the producsome outstanding works of the laboratory in the year 2013 will be

Cellulase and a Xylanase

The discovery of new glycolytic enzymes is of great value to the development of renewable enerimportant tool for the discovery of new genes that encode enzymes of biotechnological relevance in the genome of uncultured mi-

served domain of glycoside hydrolases family 5 and a carbohydrate-

known conserved domains, suggesting being a member of a new preference to hydrolyze unbranched xylan chains, as well as the potential to produce xylooligosaccharides with industrial application

Alvarez, T. M., Goldbeck, R., dos Santos, C. R., PaixĂŁo, D. A., GonĂ§alves, T. A., Development and Biotechnological Application of a Novel Endoxylanase Family genome. PloS one, 8(7), e70014.

screening of a metagenomic library derived from sugarcane soil,

The main production operations of sugarcane are related to planting and harvesting and mechanical actions involve heavy mechanical handling actions of biomass, inputs and promotes several improvements to the agricultural management of sugarcane, among them a new process of harvest that, in 2013, was ment seeks to reduce the severe restrictions that the current harvesmic management of the plantation, improving productivity and economic and environmental sustainabiliThe centerpiece of the machinery of low impact mechanization -

the restrictions on planting space, soil compaction, fuel consumption, and losses of biomass and levels of impurities in the raw material during ment costs and maintenance by increasing the number of simultaneous lines of planting and harves-

Funtec / BNDES project: investments

Yeast with High

identified a new species of yeast in the intestinal tract of larvae Pseudozyma brasiliensis is able to metabolize five-carbon sugars and secrete xylanase with activity 20 times higher than the enzyme extract from Aspergillus niger, fungus notoriously recognized by the expression of this This xylanase can be used in the degradation of the bagasse fiber of sugarcane for conversion of cellulosic ethanol, as well as pareover, it also has the potential to be used in the production of xylooligosaccharides, prebiotics that

potential of this yeast, the genome of 20 million base pairs this Pseudozyma in order to identify important genes in the metabolism of xylose and other

Oliveira, J. V. C, et al. (2013). Draft gesis sp. nov. strain GHG001, a high producer of endo-1, 4-xylanase isolated from an insect pest of sugarcane. Genome Announcements, 1(6), e00920-13.

Trichoderma harzianum enzymatic complex isolated from Amazon biome with high biotechnological potential for the second Advanced molecular biology and were used in order to optimize the production process of the enzymes complex in a joint effort with ted in the publication of a patent Professionals of the same research division have prepared experiments in laboratory and pilot scale in order to develop and demonstrate mentation Process of sugarcane juice and molasses with high ethanol ti-

research, conducted in partnership with a company, used sensors developed to monitor the fermentation ce of yeasts was evaluated, including

derstanding the cellulolytic system of Trichoderma harzianu P49P11 and enhancing saccharification of pretreated sugarcane bagasse by supplementation with pectinase and -l-arabinofuranosidase. Bioresource Technology, 131, 500-507.

Mechanical harvesting has replaced manual cutting with burning of sugarcane due to, among other factors, greenhouse gases emissions that cause public healThis change in management leads to the deposition of 10 to 20 tones of dry matter of crop residue preventing emissions by biomass burning, mechanized harvesting ds to increase the stock of soil carbon, a sink of more than one ton of

impact of this change of manasions and storing carbon in the soil, through field experiments and remote sensing, environmental modeling and life cycle assesarea was recognized with the 2013 have also assessed the impacts of removing the straw that is currently in the field for cogeneration and production of lignocellulosic

Galdos, M. et al. (2013). Trends in global warming and human health impacts related to Brazilian sugarcane ethanol production considering black carbon emissions. Applied Energy, 104, 576-582.

systems considering technical economic, social and environmenAmong these improvements, straw recovery and transporta-

Agricultural Production Modelling

paper was published evaluating various straw recovery scenarios considering the integration of Best technical and economic technologies were identified and comprehensive life cycle inventory for environmental assess-

Distribution and Use Model

nological routes were performed ration plant, alcoholchemistry for butanol production, thermoche-

Economic Engineering

Economic Evaluation

Input-output Analysis

Life-cycle Assessment

Social Evaluation

Environmental Evaluation

the most relevant agronomic and industrial variables for optimizing integrated processes was also de-

product use and social impact

Cardoso, T. et al. (2013). Technical and economic assessment of trash recovery in the sugarcane bioenergy production system. Scientia Agricola, 70(5), 353-360.

ticipated in the development of a plied to unicellular Clamydomonas alga and to the vascular plant Arain human cells allows identifying regions in the DNA important to the regulation of expression levels The transcription regulation is important to the control and manipulation of genetic characteristics of mass and sugar accumulation and The developed protocol was sionals of the Laboratory have developed a computational platform for the analysis of such data, facilitating the handling of information by biologists without training in programadapted to sugarcane, a complex achievement, since this plant does

Winck, F. V. et al. (2013). Genomeand reconstruction of gene regulatory networks of the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii under carbon deprivation. PloS One, 8(11), e79909.

selected publications Bioresource Technology, relevant success indicator of the In 2013, the professionals of the

• -

articles in indexed journals, which -

•

sment of sugarcane trash for agronomic and energy purposes in Brazil. Scientia Agricola •

warming and human health impacts related to Brazilian sugarcane ethanol production considering Applied Energy •

derstanding the cellulolytic system of Trichoderma harzianum

sion pretreatment of sugarcane straw for enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose for production of second generation ethanol and value-adBioresource Technology •

of pretreated sugarcane bagasse by supplementation with pectinase and

and second generation ethanol and Applied

Energy Bioresource Technology • •

Butanol production in a first-generation Brazilian sugarcane bio-

ging of sugarcane bagasse using Industrial Crops and Products

Bioresource Technology • • -

plication of feruloyl esterase from Aspergillus clavatus Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology

•

Utilization of pentoses from sugar-

Increased production of cellulases and xylanases by Penicillium echinulatum Bioresource Technology • -

re and function of a novel cellulase 5 from sugarcane soil metagenoPloS One

High-performance alcohols and organic acids developed by Analytical Center for Biomass and Derivatives of the CTBE.

professionals ployees, including contractors and

undergraduate research

Carlos Alberto Labate

to posBiomass Production

consultants, coming from renowBiomass Processing abroad, spend one day a week detegrated Assessment tainable of Biomass and Bioenergy Production

and Biotechnology

Learn about the professional education and work developed by some of the leading researchers of

Pharmacist

graduated

from

PhD in molecular biology from Medi-

in fungal biochemistry and genetics,

cular biology, biochemistry, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Omicsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; development of enzymes and biotechnological routes for plant biomass

Chemist, works in the area of pre-treatment and physicochemical analyzes of sugarcane bagasse for bioethanol production.

ds a doctorate degree in soils and a postdoctoral in the use of fertili10 B in the zers enriched in 15N, 34 assessment of management form

ty of UberlĂ˘ndia, with a Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and PhD in Physico-Chemistry from the ded exchange scholarship doctorate -

researcher visitor at the University the agronomic management of fertilizers, soil conditioners and industrial residues in the nutrition of sugarcane, development of special fertilizers

area of characterization and processing of biomass and its derivatives for the production of cellulosic ethanol, chemical intermediates,

Graduated in chemistry, works with pre-treatment and chemical characterization of biomass. His doctoral thesis won the Capes Grand Prize of Thesis.

Agricultural Development from Midamerica Nazarene University

Agronomy from the University of in Life Cycle Assessment of agriarches soil and biomass carbon dynamics and greenhouse gas emissions in biofuel production, using measurements, geoproces-

tended postdoctoral in Lunds 12 years experience in processing in the area of pre-treatment and physicochemical characteriza-

use change and sustainable agri-

Carlos Driemeier Physicist, expert in nanostructure of lignocellulosic biomass and characterization methods related to nanostructural variability.

Carlos Driemeier

ation and doctorate degree in the archer at Parthenope University of

an exchange scholarship doctoraThe postdoctorate was conducted -

and social impact assessment and -

in Condensed Matter Physics, especially with surfaces, interfaces, physica-chemical of the water and

that evaluates the integration of new technologies in the sugarcane

develops analytical methods and investigates the nanostructure of

Biomass Physical this Pilot Plant for Process Development (PPDP).

innovation

area works in the development of partnerships with research institutions, industries and capital markets in the areas of bioenergy and renewable materials to create favorable conditions for technology transfer, access provision to the knowledge produced in the Laboratory and its

• • • •

Dow Odebrecht Agroindustrial University of Nottingham Bunge

Highligths of Established Partnerships Rhodia: Chemical intermediates obtention from macromole-

13 cooperation agreements were signed with various institutions, whereas others reached an adMajor

partnerships

2013 ments and memoranda of unders-

biotechnological process was scaled up at the Pilot Plant for Pro-

Dow: Production of chemical • BP

last two and a half years and has

• Unicamp

Eli Lilly (Elanco): Biomass ement was signed, with an in-

mum non-financial contribution BP: high alcoholic content sugar wi-

million, half funded by BP and half

research cover the development of Base Machine of the Controlled vest heads, agronomic evaluation of the precise sugarcane planting GE: -

Changing Land Useâ&#x20AC;? is under deximately one and a half year and Jacto Agricultural Machines: Low impact mechanization for the production of sugarcane, with an

Odebrecht Agroindustrial: Technical, economic and environmental assessment of a process for second generation ethanol Unicamp / SAT / Fitroleum:

Patents In 2013, the professionals of National Institute of Industrial Pro-

of Parallel Plates for Alignment of

ma harzianum

Trichoder-

Complex for the Polysacccharide

Carboxilic Acid Compound from a

Workshop promoted by the CTBE in December 2013, brought together representatives from research institutions, companies and governments of Brazil and Denmark. They explore possibilities for joint developments of technologies that exploit the concept

events and training programs -

About 100 people participat-

International workshops and other events are organized fre-

• II Workshop on Sugarcane Physiology for Agronomic Applications October, 2nd and 3rd. Brought together leading researchers from Brazil and abroad to discuss the sugarcane physi-

results and improve scientific collaborations towards the bioenergy development in Brazil and

professionals attended the event, International Workshops Promoted in 2013 • First Brazilian-Danish • Workshop on Second Generation Bioethanol 2013: Enzymatic Hydrolysis November, 11th and 12th This was the fourth edition of the event which takes place at cussions have focused on issues out by fungi, relationships between structure and function of enzymes, bioprocesses, metagenomics applied to biofuels, protein production -

December, 2nd ad 3rd The event explored joint possearch and development in the area of new technologies that promote

also celebrated the launch of the new Postgraduate program in Bioenergy, a collaboration between

Courses • Short Course Principles

Speaker presentation at the fourth edition of the Workshop on Second Generation Bioethanol: Enzymatic Hydrolysis, in CTBE Auditorium.

and Applications of System Biology and Plant Physiology February and November Designed for postgraduate students, the course aimed to disseminate approaches in system bi-

nanometric

porosity

water losic biomasses, this porosity is a key factor of reactivity and en-

held in 2013, in partnership with the postgraduate programs in Vegetal -

â&#x20AC;˘ Training Course on Oxygen Transfer Divided into theoretical and practical modules, was taught to

objective was to disseminate this -

â&#x20AC;˘ Short course of Thermoporometry Applied to Lignocelluloses July, 25th Programs for Students

Participants for the Summer School Program, in which graduate students from all over Latin America come annually to the CNPEM to develop research projects during the months of January and February.

(PUE): high school and undergraduate students may partici-

period which the selected stuThere are, on average, 20 vacan-

like Physics, Chemistry, Biology, call for registrations takes place tion Scholarship Program (PIBIC): arships of the National Council for Summer School Program: Intended for undergraduate students from Latin America and the Caribbean who have completed at

registrations takes place once a year, with an average of 20 stution of twelve months, beginning

2013 in two pages A biotechnological process was validated in semi-industrial scale, making bioreactors and utilities of the Pilot Plant work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for seven months, attesting its proper commissioning.

A new species of yeast with high biotechnological potential has tract larvae of the chrysomelid beetle. A Pseudozyma brasiliensis sp. nov. is able to metabolize xylanase.

Facilities of the Metabolomics and Computational and Evolutionary Biology Laboratory have been concluded, and the Analytical Center for Biomass and Derivatives were structured, This establishes platforms for and lipids in complex biological samples.

At the end of the year, circulation in patio and deployment of automation of base machine of (ETC) were initiated. Their harvest heads were also improved in experiments performed in

In December, the Laboratory for external research, through on-line submission proposals on Process Development Labs (LDP) and Pilot Plant.

CTBE became a partner of CANASAT Program, originating from the National Institute for Space Research (INPE). Professionals of the Laboratory will produce data for the tool related to GHG emissions, social and economic impacts of the sugarcane crop.

Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) Edition: Graphic Design and Layout: William Barbosa / ACO Printing: Photos:

Campinas, Sao Paulo - June 2014