To the average eye, cornstalks and husks are simply remnants of a summer barbecue meant for the trash or the compost heap. But to Dr. Rawle Hollingsworth, president and founder of AFID Therapeutics, the remaining mass represents renewable energy.

Essentially this is a collection of waste full of carbohydrates that is coined “corn stover”—a source of energy that can be converted into a multi-functional, bio-chemically produced compound that lends itself to a plethora of possibilities.

“Raw materials, such as corn stover,” Dr. Hollingsworth explains, “are renewable materials that are full of carbohydrates once broken down. Carbohydrates are the basis of our consumer world. And the supply is practically infinite.”

Since 2003, Dr. Hollingsworth and his staff have been furthering the research and development of carbohydrate chemistry. As a chemistry professor at Michigan State University, Dr. Hollingsworth has been diligent in his initiative to advance biotechnology here in Michigan and abroad.

With close to 50 issued U.S. patents and over 100 international patents, he is considered an expert in his field and is highly regarded in the biotech arena.  AFID Therapeutics provides chemical biotechnology to over 100 companies, which includes 20 of the top pharmaceutical companies. AFID Therapeutics also provides performance chemicals to the United States government’s aerospace programs.

Based in Lansing near the MSU campus, Dr. Hollingsworth carries out his mission to utilize raw materials by bringing together three important components: 1) the abundance of natural resources that exist and are available in Michigan, 2) the recognizable contribution of Michigan’s agricultural production, and 3) the talent that exists in the state.

“Michigan is poised for biotechnology expansion,” Dr. Hollingsworth shares. “The resources available here, primarily the best fresh water resource in the world in combination with its agricultural history and industrial capacity, put Michigan in a position to be an innovative leader in the production and use of biomass product.”

Michigan’s economical woes are no secret. But amidst the immediate dysfunction lies an opportunity to rebuild the state’s manufacturing leadership through agro-based sustainable products. Dr. Hollingsworth views the growing transition from petrochemistry to carbohydrate chemistry as a viable future for the state.

“As it becomes more sensitive to the new environmental awareness, Michigan is thrust into refocus,” Dr. Hollingsworth asserts. “The notion that the old economies will continue to push Michigan forward have lost pace. We need to use the abundance of resources here and recreate the way we do business.”

What this means is that Michigan’s manufacturing expertise and industrial assets need to be retooled to accommodate biotechnological growth.  The brains and the brawn already exist—it is a matter of using and producing materials that are in agreement with sustainability and profit. Because the petro versus carbohydrate chemistry battle looms over environmental responsibility everywhere, manufacturers need versatile biomass products that serve both economic and environmental purposes.

“Petrochemistry is the larger user of petroleum in the manufacturing sector and from an energy and materials standpoint it should cost much less to produce a product based on carbohydrate chemistry than petrochemistry,” Dr. Hollingsworth states. “Plant resources are practically endless whereas petrochemistry reserves are limited. Further, the decomposition of carbohydrate-based products (like all plant-based materials) result in net zero emission,” Dr. Hollingsworth emphasizes.

The “net zero” emission is the key. Petroleum-based products create environmental clutter, according to Dr. Hollingsworth’s assessment. Plastics and other petroleum-based polymers, which are often the base of paints, coatings and other widely used manufacturing ingredients, contribute to the pollution and environmental issues. Large amounts of carbon dioxide are produced in their manufacture and are emitted when they decompose. With the use of carbohydrate-based products, the emission of excess carbon dioxide into the atmosphere on decomposition is zero and very little energy is used in the manufacturing process.

In effect, the result of using plant-based raw materials is to take already existing carbon dioxide that was removed from the air by plants, utilize what is needed, and eventually return to the air what was originally taken out.

There is no new carbon dioxide produced—therefore, no contribution to the greenhouse effect.

It is this philosophy that the Cap and Trade bill represents. Dr. Hollingsworth shares that there might be better ways that would not place too much of a burden on the economy by offsetting mandatory emissions in some areas (fossil fuel energy production) with large reductions in others and promoting these other areas aggressively.

“Industries that create carbon dioxide will be capped and taxed,” he states.  “Essentially it is like a poker game. Hypothetically, manufacturing companies are each given the some number of chips. Because petrochemistry-based companies will produce excess carbon dioxide, they will more than likely use their allotted chips. Carbohydrate-based companies will not because they are not emitting or creating excess carbon dioxide. So their chips and now become available for purchase by other companies who have used all their chips,” he summarizes. “This means a source of funding for the carbohydrate-based companies if they choose. It becomes barter for the unused chips which could essentially be a component of sustainability.”

The key to carbohydrate-based development and expansion relies on the ability to convert biomass and to successfully create a chemical intermediate that can produce a basic product to be used industry wide. To be profitable it needs to be versatile. Essentially, the goal is to create one product that can be used across the board.

Ever aware of his mission, Dr. Hollingsworth continues to be innovative and challenging to himself and his purpose. He recently founded and launched the ACRE Initiative (Agro Centric Resource Expansion), by holding a presentation and discussion session to outline its scope and mission, and to explain his vision. Invitations were extended to Michigan legislators, Michigan business leaders, fellow scientists, educators and other leading innovators. Dr. Hollingsworth hopes to facilitate more interest and support for his and others’ initiatives as a viable means of industry.