REDWOOD CITY, Calif.,
Aug. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --
Codexis, Inc. (Nasdaq: CDXS) presented important technical progress
in its carbon capture program yesterday at the CO2 Capture
Technology Meeting being sponsored this week by the U.S. Department
of Energy/National Energy Technology Laboratory in Pittsburgh. Codexis, supported by a
grant from the DoE's ARPA-E Recovery Act program, is using its
patented CodeEvolver™ directed evolution technology to develop
processes to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power
plants.
The research program is based on development of customized
carbonic anhydrase (CA) enzymes that could catalyze carbon capture
under industrial conditions. Data showed CA performance has been
improved by about two million fold over natural forms of the
enzyme. Evolved CA enzymes are functional and stable in relatively
inexpensive, energy efficient solvents for 24 hours at temperatures
greater than 90 degrees C.
Use of carbon capture solvents with fully developed enzymes is
expected to substantially reduce the costs and energy requirements
to capture CO2 produced by coal-fired power plants. The data was
presented by James Lalonde, Ph.D.,
Codexis' Vice President of Biochemistry and Engineering Research
and Development. Codexis is jointly developing the technology with
CO2 Solution, Inc., Quebec,
Canada. (TSX-V:CST)
A 2011 NETL report estimated that coal-fired power plants
account for roughly 37% of total U.S. CO2 emissions and that
current technology to capture CO2 would reduce power generating
capacity by 30%.
In May 2010, Codexis was selected
to receive an ARPA-E Recovery Act program grant for up to
$4.7 million from the U.S. Department
of Energy for development of innovative technology to remove carbon
dioxide from coal-fired power plant emissions. The grant was
one of 37 research projects which the DoE said "could fundamentally
change the way the country uses and produces energy."
Codexis is a clean technology company. Codexis develops
optimized biocatalysts that make industrial processes faster,
cleaner and more efficient. Codexis' technology is commercialized
with leading global pharmaceutical companies and is in development
for advanced biofuels with Shell, carbon capture and biobased
chemicals. Wastewater treatment is a potential future market.
For more information, visit www.codexis.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements relating
to Codexis' research in carbon capture technology and the ability
of our carbon capture technology to substantially reduce the costs
and energy requirements to capture CO2 produced by coal-fired power
plants. You should not place undue reliance on these
forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown
risks, uncertainties and other factors that are, in some cases,
beyond our control and that could materially affect actual results.
Factors that could materially affect actual results can be found in
Codexis' Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q dated August 3, 2011 including under the caption "Risk
Factors." Codexis expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to
update these forward-looking statements, except as required by
law.
Media: Lyn Christenson,
lyn.christenson@codexis.com, 650.421.8144 or Saskia Sidenfaden, ssidenfaden@mww.com,
212.827.3771 Investors: Henk Adriaenssens, ir@codexis.com,
650.421.8331
SOURCE Codexis, Inc.