Climate change and sustainable development became major issues on the global agenda in 2007. These are times when one revolutionary scientific approach is replacing another, when many must work together and when it is clear that sustainability makes sound business sense.

Based in Denmark, Novozymes specializes in biotech industrial enzymes and microorganisms that it says can replace traditional ways of meeting industry needs efficiently, cost-effectively and in an environmentally sound way.

"Our products help our customers - and the world - on the way toward more sustainable development," say sources from Novozymes.

Novozymes' enzymes are working their way into many everyday products around the world in a wide range of industries from detergents and animal feed to textiles and leather, and in the production of bread, wine and fruit juice.

Sustainable growth

With climate change legislation pending in many nations, Novozymes also sees future emission reduction mandates as an opportunity for its enzymes and microorganisms which are widely used to improve resource utilization and to reduce pollution, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and the need for environmentally harmful chemicals.

Rough estimates say 100 kg of CO2 emissions are saved every time a customer uses 1 kg of Novozymes' enzymes, according to company Life Cycle Assessment data, so its products reduced CO2 emissions by about 20 million tons in 2007 alone - mainly because using enzymes saves energy compared with traditional processes.

Under the Kyoto Protocol Denmark must reduce its CO2 emissions by about 13 million tons a year from 2008 to 2012 to meet its obligations.

In a world where global companies are expected to focus more on sustainability, and where CO2 taxes and high energy prices are a reality, demand is rising sharply for new innovation in products and services.

That is clearly seen in the bio-ethanol industry that offers alternatives to oil-based fuels - and where enzymes play a vital role especially in the second generation of bio-fuel, or cellulosic bio-ethanol. The demand for their use in detergents is also robust because enzymes make it possible to achieve good wash results at lower temperatures which results in CO2 emission reduction.

With a strong leading position in bio-innovation and promising future, Novozymes are being ready to take both challenges and opportunities of global development by offering innovative sustainable solutions to various industries worldwide, even to bio-pharmic industry.

Gene technology, microbial techniques and fermentation technology are some of Novozymes' biotechnological tools that offer a wide range of solutions to industries worldwide.

'Bio-innovation'

In cooperation with companies worldwide, Novozymes says it "wants to rethink tomorrow and create more sustainable ways to do business - possible through 'bio-innovation' - advances based on biotechnology that replace traditional industrial production methods with more sustainable methods".

It is possible to find solutions that can help create the future by breaking with conventions and traditional mindsets, the company says.

(China Daily 06/05/2008 page18)