The new agreement covers five years of research collaboration and includes Shell making an equity investment in Codexis and taking a seat on the company’s board.
Research will focus on adapting enzymes to improve the conversion of a range of raw materials into high-performance fuels. It will assist Shell in developing the next generation of biofuels as it explores a number of non-food bio materials, new conversion processes and alternative fuel products.
Dr Graeme Sweeney, executive vice president of Shell’s future fuels and CO2, said: Breaking down and converting alternative, non-food bio material into high-quality fuels for transport is complex. Processing efficiently at scale, in terms of both cost and C02 production, is challenging. This exciting research work into new powerful enzymes for more efficient conversion and better biofuels is part of Shell accelerating its drive to make next-generation biofuels a commercial reality.
Codexis scientists create super enzymes capable of outperforming naturally occurring varieties.