Borregard

Next to many lignin based products, the Norwegian company Borregaard has been producing second generation bioethanol from wood since 1938. In their sulfite mill in Sarpsborg, lignocellulosic spruce chips are digested with the help of acidic calcium bisulfite cooking liquor, whereas various sugars are hydrolyzed from the contained hemicellulos fibres. Hereafter, only the resulting C6 sugars (hexoses) are fermented with non-GMO yeast strains to generate ethanol, which can be procured by distillation.