Codexis: new carbon-capture enzymes performing 2,000,000X better

August 25, 2011 |

In California, Codexis VP of Biochemistry and Engineering R&D James Lalonde said that in its program to develop customized carbonic anhydrase (CA) enzymes that could catalyze carbon capture under industrial conditions, CA performance has been improved by about two million fold over natural forms of the enzyme. Evolved CA enzymes are functional and stable, he added, in relatively inexpensive energy efficient solvents for 24 hours at temperatures greater than 90 degrees C. Codexis is jointly developing the technology with Canada’s CO2 Solution.

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. 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%.

Category: Research

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