Shell and Codexis to Explore Next-Generation Bio-fuels

11.21.06 - Shell and Codexis to Explore Next-Generation Bio-fuels
Focus remains on bio-fuels that lower CO2. Houston, TX and Redwood City, CA Shell Oil Products US, a subsidiary of Shell Oil Company, and Codexis Inc., a privately held biotechnology company, announced today they would launch a collaboration to explore enhanced methods of converting biomass to bio-fuels. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. “Shell is committed to leading the development of second-generation bio-fuels that offer lower well-to-wheel CO2 production and enhanced performance,” David Sexton, President, Shell Oil Products US, said. “We are exploring the application of Codexis’ proprietary technologies to produce alternative fuels from renewable, sustainable sources.” “Our proven biocatalytic approach should provide the critical pathway to developing economically feasible alternative transportation fuels from renewable resources,” Alan Shaw, Ph.D., Codexis President and Chief Executive Officer, said. “We are pleased to be partnering with Shell, a world leader in energy, to undertake this important effort.” Shell has been involved in developing bio-fuels for more than 30 years, and believes it is the world’s largest distributor of transport bio-fuels today. The company sold nearly 800 million gallons (3 billion liters) of bio-fuel in 2005, mostly in the United States and Brazil. Shell also markets fuels containing bio-components in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, the Philippines, Sweden and Thailand. Shell Oil Products US, a subsidiary of Shell Oil Company, is a leader in the refining, transportation and marketing of fuels, and has a network of approximately 6,000 branded gasoline stations in the Western United States. Shell Oil Company, including its consolidated companies and its share in equity companies, is one of America's leading oil and natural gas producers, natural gas marketers, gasoline marketers and petrochemical manufacturers. Shell, a leading oil and gas producer in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, is a recognized pioneer in oil and gas exploration and production technology. Shell Oil Company is an affiliate of the Shell Group, a global group of energy and petrochemical companies, employing approximately 109,000 people and operating in more than 140 countries and territories. Codexis is the leading developer of biocatalytic chemical technologies that dramatically reduce the cost of manufacturing across a broad range of industries. Codexis' proprietary directed evolution technologies enable novel solutions for efficient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly processes for pharmaceutical, industrial chemical and energy applications. Codexis has entered into strategic alliances with many of the world’s leading companies in the chemical process industry, and the company's technology is being applied to the development of more than 20 products worldwide. In 2006, Codexis was recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with a Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award for developing an environmentally friendly, low-cost alternative manufacturing process. Codexis, Inc. began operations in 2002. Codexis is a registered trademark of Codexis, Inc. For more information, please visit www.codexis.com.