DuPont Danisco
| Company type | Joint venture |
|---|---|
| Industry | Biofuel, Biotechnology |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Headquarters | Itasca, Illinois , United States |
Area served | United States |
| Products | Cellulosic ethanol |
| Parent | DuPont, Danisco (Genencor subsidiary) |
DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol LLC (DDCE) was a joint venture equally owned by DuPont and Genencor, a subsidiary under Danisco. Formed in 2008, the partnership focused on advancing affordable technology for producing cellulosic ethanol derived from non-food biomass sources. DDCE operated a demonstration biorefinery and research facility located in Vonore, Tennessee, which commenced operations in late 2009. This site produced ethanol through biochemical fermentation utilizing corn stover, cobs, fiber, and switchgrass. Although the plant had an annual capacity of 250,000 gallons, production was capped at 150,000 gallons to facilitate the development of future commercial-scale operations.
The company worked closely with Genera Energy and the University of Tennessee Research Foundation on initiatives such as a farm-to-fuel program and building supply chains for energy crops like switchgrass. In 2011, DDCE secured a $9 million grant from the Iowa Power Fund Board to support the launch of a refinery designed to produce 25 million gallons per year of ethanol from corn stover, contributing to an overall project budget of $226 million.
Following DuPont's acquisition of Danisco in 2011, the joint venture was subsequently dissolved.