Boston Business Journal - September 22, 2008

Mascoma names GM executive to scientific advisory board
Boston Business Journal

General Motors Corp.’s energy czar has been named to Boston biofuels developer Mascoma Corp.’s scientific advisory board.

Andreas Lippert, director of global energy systems for GM (NYSE: GM), will advise Mascoma as it advances toward commercial production of cellulosic ethanol and other biofuels. He leads GM’s strategy on global energy developments and co-authored the auto giant’s outlook on energy diversity for transportation.

“We look forward to building our relationship with Andreas and tapping into his knowledge of the automotive and transportation fuels industries,” said Mascoma Chairman and CEO Bruce Jamerson in a statement. “He brings a new dimension of corporate experience to our scientific team. I am excited to be working with him.”

Mascoma and GM announced in May they would collaborate on the conversion of non-grain biomass­ — which could be anything from wood and paper to switchgrass or agricultural waste — to ethanol for transportation.

Gov. Deval Patrick signed into law July the Clean Energy Biofuels Act, which eliminates the gas tax on cellulosic ethanol and biofuels. The act also establishes a commission to study other ways of supporting the biofuels industry, including the establishment of production credits, production and harvesting of woody biomass used to make cellulosic ethanol, and consumer incentives for using cellulosic biofuels.