CNPEM launches OpEn, a Brazilian enzymatic cocktail with the potential to transform the domestic biorefinery market

The Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) is offering samples of a biotechnological input vital to biorefineries. The enzyme cocktail, called OpEn, was developed entirely in Brazil and has the potential to revolutionize domestic production of biofuels and bioproducts.

The goal is to distribute OpEn to researchers at non-profit academic and scientific institutions who are interested in co-developing, customizing and improving technology for different production chains and types of plant biomass. The target audience includes academic researchers linked to public or private institutions working in science, technology and innovation, as well as universities and research centers. Companies and startups can also request a sample directly from CNPEM, which will assess each request.

The Center is offering non-profit scientific and academic institutions the chance to receive a free 250 mL sample of the cocktail to co-develop, customize and enhance technology for different production chains and types of plant biomass (CNPEM Outreach)

The Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) is offering samples of a biotechnological input vital to biorefineries. The enzyme cocktail, called OpEn, was developed entirely in Brazil and has the potential to revolutionize domestic production of biofuels and bioproducts.

The goal is to distribute OpEn to researchers at non-profit academic and scientific institutions who are interested in co-developing, customizing and improving technology for different production chains and types of plant biomass. The target audience includes academic researchers linked to public or private institutions working in science, technology and innovation, as well as universities and research centers. Companies and startups can also request a sample directly from CNPEM, which will assess each request.

 “The OpEn cocktail is an enabling technology for biorefineries, the result of 15 years of investment and research in advanced biotechnology that led to the creation of a division of CNPEM with the potential to create end-to-end technological autonomy for sustainable domestic production of energy and other bioproducts,” explains Mario Murakami, director of the Brazilian Biorenewables National Laboratory at CNPEM.

At the moment, Brazil still depends on imported enzymes, without a similar domestic alternative available on a commercial scale. With proven performance and patented technology, today there are over eighty versions of OpEn that are adapted to several different production chains and enhanced by biodiversity-related discoveries, achieving a reduction of up to 50% in greenhouse gas emissions.

“The OpEn technology resulted from the integration of several different infrastructures and areas of expertise at CNPEM, demonstrating how our multidisciplinary capacity can transform Brazil from a producer of commodities into a developer of advanced biotechnologies. Because it combines sustainability and innovation, this enzymatic cocktail is strategic for our bioeconomy and helps position the country at the forefront of biofuel and bioproduct production,” says CNPEM Director General Antonio José Roque da Silva.

Made from by-products of sugarcane ethanol manufacturing, OpEn is a low-cost solution that does not generate waste: the biomass remaining after the process can be used as animal feed. The technology was tailored to the specific needs of Brazilian biorefineries, with greater flexibility for different raw materials that include sugarcane, corn and forest waste. The cocktail has already been validated in a pilot plant with 100% reproducibility, and over five tons have been produced and verified to date.

The OpEn technology has adaptations that include genetic modifications to enzymes of the Trichoderma reesei fungus in order to boost productivity and efficiency in converting agro-industrial waste into energy, food and biochemicals. In addition to 2G and 1.5G ethanol production, OpEn can be applied in integrated industrial processes, animal nutrition and new biomass depolymerization routes.

What are 2G and 1.5G ethanol?

Second-generation ethanol (2G) is produced from plant waste such as sugarcane bagasse (the stalks left over after pressing) and leaves, which are normally not used in conventional production based on sugarcane juice (1G). The 1.5G version maximizes use of corn grains, including fractions left over from processing, allowing greater use of biomass without requiring changes to industrial infrastructure.

Distribution for basic and applied research

CNPEM is offering Brazilian academic institutions a free 250 mL sample of the cocktail for laboratory testing after signing a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA). Requests must go through the exclusive platform for CNPEM users, SAU Online.

Advances inspired by biodiversity

One version of the OpEn technology includes an important discovery from Brazilian biodiversity: the CelOCE enzyme. This is a new class of biocatalyst with an unprecedented structure and action mechanism which can accelerate the transformation of cellulose and boost the release of glucose by up to 21% in industrial conditions.

Because it is a minimalist structure with only 115 amino acids, this substance opens up prospects for new future uses or even the development of synthetic enzymes with applications that even include reuse of plastic waste (CNPEM Outreach)

The discovery, published in the journal Nature, broadens prospects for the development of more efficient formulations of the OpEn technology, strengthening the transition to a low-carbon bioeconomy and demonstrating the importance of preserving Brazil’s biodiversity.