NEDO is a semi-governmental administrative agency with the mission of enhancing the competitiveness of Japan’s industrial technology by identifying core technology seeds of the future and by promoting technology R&D at various stages of development.

The Nitto Denko, Kobe University project is entitled “R&D into Polymer Membrane-integrated System for Distillation and Dehydration of Cellulosic Bioethanol”.

In the joint R&D with NEDO, Nitto Denko will fully leverage its polymer membranes expertise in domains such as seawater desalination and gas/vapor separation to reduce the production cost of bioethanol as well as the energy consumption for its distillation/dehydration. For that purpose, the company will conduct R&D on low-cost polymer membrane modules for bioethanol distillation and dehydration, as well as an energy-saving distillation/dehydration system using the modules.

Prof. Akihiko Kondoh’s team at Kobe University will leverage its expertise on cellulosic biomass fermentation to conduct research into preventing membrane fouling by impurities in biomass-derived ethanol, and together with Nitto Denko, develop the technology for stable operation of the distillation/dehydration system.