Fledgling biofuels company Qteros has just been granted a patent for its process of creating fermentation of biomass by a unique, naturally-occurring anaerobic microorganism, an event that will likely catapult the Marlborough-based company onto the global stage. The level of cost savings expected to result from broad use of its “Q Microbe” (Clostridium phytofermentans) could prove to be something of an adrenaline shot to an industry that’s historically been hobbled by the expense of processes that it essentially eliminates the need for. The microbe optimizes conditions for carbon-neutral, non-food biomass ethanol production that could conceivably be scaled up to the level of large commercial applications. It was discovered in 1996 near the Quabbin Reservoir by Dr. Susan Leschine, a UMass microbiology professor, and a laboratory assistant, Tom Warnick.
Kevin A. Gray, Ph.D., senior vice president and chief technology officer of Qteros, explains the advantage of the process: “While traditional cellulosic ethanol processes require numerous production steps, including the addition of costly exogenous enzymes, use of the Q Microbe lowers costs by simultaneously hydrolyzing polysaccharides into simple sugars and fermenting all of these sugars into desirable products in a single-tank operation.”
The patent has been cause for celebration in local scientific and entrepreneurial circles. Nick DeCristofaro, director of commercial ventures and intellectual property at UMass-Amherst, lauded the collaborative effort between the academic and commercial spheres: “The relationship between Qteros and UMass is an excellent example of how industry and universities can work together to bring innovation to the marketplace.”
