Friday, July 21, 2006

Oil from Plankton ?

Read in some newspapers today, presenting a summary

A Spanish company claimed to have developed a method of breeding plankton and turning the marine plants into oil...the company, Bio Fuel Systems is a wholly Spanish firm, formed this year in eastern Spain after three years of research by scientists and engineers connected with the University of Alicante.

"Bio Fuel Systems has developed a process that converts energy, based on three elements: solar energy, photosynthesis and an electromagnetic field," it said

Bio Fuel Systems said its new fuel would reduce CO2, was free of other contaminants like sulphur dioxide and would be cheaper than fossil oil is now.

"Our system of bioconversion is about 400 times more productive than any other plant-based system producing oil or ethanol," it said, referring to currently available biofuels made from plants like maize or oilseeds.

Bio Fuel Systems has drawn up industrial plans to make the fuel and says it will be able to start continuous production in 14 to 18 months.

End of news

I guess what this article is discussing is nothing but biodiesel production from algae, since the term phytoplanktons is just another commonly used term for microalgae...though they have not specifically mentioned biodiesel but have just said petroleum, I'd imagine they are talking of biodiesel production from algae oil...however, it will be good to hear of any corrections to my thought...

just to get the terminology cleared up:

1. Collectively, phytoplankton are known as microalgae, a designation given to all algae, of which phytoplankton are a part, that are too small to be seen with the naked eye. From what I have read so far, most oil (& biodiesel ) extraction explorations have been with microalgae.
2. The other group of algae that inhabit the seas are the macroalgae, the kelps and fucoids that grow along the shore.

Your comments and feedback are appreciated

NS @ Oilgae - Oil & Biodiesel from Algae


Oilgae.com - Oil & Biodiesel from Algae provides links, provides directory and web links resources for the algae-based biofuels & biodiesel. It is intended to be useful for research, information, inputs, news for buyers, sellers, manufacturers, traders, suppliers, producers, exporters and importers of algal oil and algal fuels. It will make an effort to provide info on biofuel feedstock, algal feedstocks, algae oil info and link, details on fuel from algae, bio-fuel, bio-diesel, bio-fuels, algal oils production and uses, and biofuels trade & market resources, data, statistics such as price, prices, demand-supply for buyer, seller, manufacturer, trader, supplier, exporter and producer

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