Coskata, Inc. Introduces Next Generation Ethanol - Technology to Produce Ethanol...

Coskata, Inc. Introduces Next Generation Ethanol - Technology to Produce
Ethanol for Less Than a Dollar per Gallon
Company Discloses Strategic Partnership with General Motors; Launches with
Funding from Khosla Ventures, Advanced Technology Ventures and GreatPoint
Ventures

WARRENVILLE, Ill., Jan. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Coskata Inc., a leading
developer of biology-based technology for the production of biofuels, today
formally launched and unveiled its proprietary process. The Coskata process
can produce ethanol almost anywhere in the world, using a wide range of
feedstock, for less than US $1.00 per gallon. This technology makes the
widespread use and availability of ethanol much more achievable.
The company today also announced major industry support through a
strategic partnership with General Motors (Editor's Note: See "GM Partners
with Coskata in Breakthrough Ethanol Making Technology"). Rick Wagoner, the
Chairman and CEO of General Motors, announced the partnership and that GM had
taken an undisclosed equity stake in Coskata at the 2008 North American
International Auto Show. Coskata was initially formed with funding from
Khosla Ventures, Advanced Technology Ventures (ATV) and GreatPoint Ventures.
"As a nation, we've been dependent on oil for so long, we continue to
think we will be dependent on oil to meet our future energy needs," said Vinod
Khosla of Khosla Ventures. "Scientists, technologists and entrepreneurs like
Coskata are here to prove it doesn't have to be this way. With the
development of an economically-viable ethanol solution, Coskata has the
propensity to change the types of fuel consumers find at the pump - providing
fuel derived from widely-available national resources, rather than foreign
imports."
Coskata's process is feedstock flexible, and enables the use of cost-
effective, locally abundant materials to achieve the lowest ethanol production
cost targets in the industry. This groundbreaking approach addresses many of
the constraints lodged against current renewable energy options, including
environmental, transportation and land use concerns.
Using patented microorganisms and transformative bioreactor designs,
Coskata ethanol is produced via a unique three-step conversion process that
turns virtually any carbon-based feedstock, including biomass, municipal solid
waste, bagasse and other agricultural waste into ethanol, making production a
possibility in almost any geography. Coskata's process technology is ethanol-
specific and enzyme independent, requiring no additional chemicals or pre-
treatments; environmentally superior, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by as
much as 84% compared to conventional gasoline; and has the ability to generate
7.7 times as much energy as is required to produce the ethanol, compared to
corn ethanol which generates approximately 1.3 times as much energy according
to Argonne National Labs.
"Our technology and proprietary process have been validated by some of the
world's most renowned research labs, universities and energy companies," said
Bill Roe, CEO of Coskata. "Coskata is poised to revolutionize the ethanol
industry with the backing of GM and our partners. Together, we can make
ethanol a viable transportation fuel with production costs of under $1 per
gallon."
Coskata is working closely with leading research institutions focused on
renewable energy to bring this compelling syngas-to-ethanol process technology
to market, including Oklahoma State University, The University of Oklahoma,
Brigham Young University and Argonne National Laboratory. Founded in 2006 by
Todd Kimmel and Dr. Rathin Datta, the company has compiled a strong IP
portfolio of patents, trade secrets and know-how and assembled a first-class
management team.
"Coskata's announcement is a perfect example of the evolutionary state of
the ethanol industry," said Bob Dinneen, president of the Renewable Fuels
Association, the national trade association for the U.S. ethanol industry.
"Building on the solid foundation grain-based ethanol production has provided,
and partnering with companies like General Motors that have demonstrated a
commitment to renewable fuels, Coskata demonstrates what is possible when
financial and intellectual capital are applied to solving the growing energy
crisis in the United States."
Experienced Team to Lead Coskata
Bill Roe, president and CEO: As former COO of Nalco Company, the world's
largest provider of industrial water-treatment chemicals and process
additives, Roe will draw on his extensive leadership experience in all
functions of growing a global technical business, including operations
management, strategy development and implementation, sales and marketing, and
research and development.
Wes Bolsen, Chief Marketing Officer and vice president of business
development: Previously, Bolsen was the Chief Financial Officer of ICM, Inc.,
the leading U.S. ethanol plant construction, engineering and design firm,
where he gained critical exposure to the inner workings of the ethanol
industry and established strong relationships with key value chain
participants.
Dick Tobey, vice president of R&D / engineering: Tobey comes to Coskata
from the Dow Chemical Company, where he spent more than 28 years developing
and commercializing new products and processes. While at Dow, he
demonstrated success in leading the research, development, scale-up and
manufacture of both synthetic and natural products, as well as pharmaceutical
chemistries and processing technologies.
About Coskata
Coskata is a biology-based renewable energy company for economies
dependent on oil. Using proprietary microorganisms and transformative
bioreactor designs, the company will produce ethanol for under US $1.00 per
gallon almost anywhere in the world, from a wide variety of input material.
Founded in 2006 by leading renewable energy investors and entrepreneurs,
including Khosla Ventures, Advanced Technology Ventures, and GreatPoint
Ventures, Coskata has compiled a strong IP portfolio of patents, trade secrets
and know-how and assembled a first-class team for the development and
commercialization of its compelling syngas-to-ethanol process technology. For
more information, please visit www.coskata.com.
SOURCE Coskata Inc.

Keith Watson, +1-617-758-4142, Christi Dean, +1-617-758-4153,
coskata@famapr.com, both of fama PR, for Coskata Inc.