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If the first generation was corn-based ethanol and the second involves using non-food parts of the corn plant to make ethanol, the third generation, Richard Sayre (who heads a a team of researchers in Creve Coeur) predicts, will be "algal oil" from algae. "There are things you can do with algae that you can't do with crops," said Sayre, the incoming director of the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Institute for Renewable Fuels at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center.
Much of Sayre's work at the Danforth Center will focus on algae's potential for supplying energy. Sayre's research will focus on the biological — altering algae genetics to get more oil production — as well as engineering — capturing green light waves and shifting them to red waves, which help algae grow.
Full news report here
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Friday, August 29, 2008
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Iowa Senator Tom Harkin Visits Shenandoah for Algae Ethanol Project
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The potential of algae as an energy source has a lot of people excited, including Iowa senator Tom Harkin.
The potential of algae as an energy source has a lot of people excited, including Iowa senator Tom Harkin. Recently, Harkin was in Shenandoah, Iowa to meet with representatives from Green Plains Renewable Energy Inc. and Shenandoah Chamber and Industry Association Director Gregg Connell at the chamber's office to hear an update on GPRE's plan.
"As chairman of the Agricultural Committee I've put a lot of emphasis on the Farm Bill on building more cellulose ethanol plants, and now I've become aware of algae and how we can get diesel fuel basically out of algae," said Harkin after the meeting. "I've looked at different companies around the United States and we've got testimony about this, and quite frankly the promise of growing algae, which only takes sunlight and CO2, the oils that you get from them for diesel is just phenomenal.
Let's hope more such influential folks all over the world start getting aware of algae oil and get more investments pouring into this area
Full news report from here
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The potential of algae as an energy source has a lot of people excited, including Iowa senator Tom Harkin.
The potential of algae as an energy source has a lot of people excited, including Iowa senator Tom Harkin. Recently, Harkin was in Shenandoah, Iowa to meet with representatives from Green Plains Renewable Energy Inc. and Shenandoah Chamber and Industry Association Director Gregg Connell at the chamber's office to hear an update on GPRE's plan.
"As chairman of the Agricultural Committee I've put a lot of emphasis on the Farm Bill on building more cellulose ethanol plants, and now I've become aware of algae and how we can get diesel fuel basically out of algae," said Harkin after the meeting. "I've looked at different companies around the United States and we've got testimony about this, and quite frankly the promise of growing algae, which only takes sunlight and CO2, the oils that you get from them for diesel is just phenomenal.
Let's hope more such influential folks all over the world start getting aware of algae oil and get more investments pouring into this area
Full news report from here
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Large Scale Algae Fuel from Solazyme in Three Years?
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Growing algae is not hard - of course we all know that. But making enough to be competitive with fossil fuel prices has eluded the many companies and researchers betting on algae as a biofuel feedstock.
Solazyme CEO Jonathan Wolfson on Wednesday said that his company will be able to produce millions of gallons of algae-derived biodiesel in three years.
The reason Solazyme is on a faster track than many others is because it is taking a very different technology path. The biotechnology company developed a process built off existing industrial equipment for fermentation and oil extraction, he said.
Unlike many other oil from algae companies, Solazyme grows specially optimized algae in the dark in a large tank by feeding it with plants. The algae is then fermented and turned into oil, he explained. Its biodiesel recently was certified to work in diesel cars and can be used in existing oil refineries.
Read the full report on this from here. Please read the comments as well - some of them have pertinently asked how Solazyme's idea could be considered good when it could pretty much have the same food-or-fuel problems that the soy-biodiesel and palm-biodiesel routes have...interesting, let's hope Solazyme answers this...
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Growing algae is not hard - of course we all know that. But making enough to be competitive with fossil fuel prices has eluded the many companies and researchers betting on algae as a biofuel feedstock.
Solazyme CEO Jonathan Wolfson on Wednesday said that his company will be able to produce millions of gallons of algae-derived biodiesel in three years.
The reason Solazyme is on a faster track than many others is because it is taking a very different technology path. The biotechnology company developed a process built off existing industrial equipment for fermentation and oil extraction, he said.
Unlike many other oil from algae companies, Solazyme grows specially optimized algae in the dark in a large tank by feeding it with plants. The algae is then fermented and turned into oil, he explained. Its biodiesel recently was certified to work in diesel cars and can be used in existing oil refineries.
Read the full report on this from here. Please read the comments as well - some of them have pertinently asked how Solazyme's idea could be considered good when it could pretty much have the same food-or-fuel problems that the soy-biodiesel and palm-biodiesel routes have...interesting, let's hope Solazyme answers this...
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Algae to fuel in Fayetteville - by U of A
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The U of A is studying ways to turn algae into fuel, in Springdale. Now, they wants to bring their knowledge, and testing, to Fayetteville.
UA officials like agriculture professor Tom Costello say this is all still in the brianstorming stage, but say they are talking with OMI, contractors for a wastewater treatment plant in Fayetteville, because conditions there are optimal, for a study that could turn everyday algae, into fuel for your car.
A person connected with the experiment says the algae would "eat" left-over phosphorus in the water, meaning even cleaner water, going out. "We're using, as the fertilizer for this crop, the nutrients that are left over from the wastewater treatment plant, that normally would be going into the stream, where we really don't want them to go." And they'd harvest every five days, not just once a year.
One more interesting attempt in the algae to fuel experiments...let's wish them all the best!
Full report from here
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The U of A is studying ways to turn algae into fuel, in Springdale. Now, they wants to bring their knowledge, and testing, to Fayetteville.
UA officials like agriculture professor Tom Costello say this is all still in the brianstorming stage, but say they are talking with OMI, contractors for a wastewater treatment plant in Fayetteville, because conditions there are optimal, for a study that could turn everyday algae, into fuel for your car.
A person connected with the experiment says the algae would "eat" left-over phosphorus in the water, meaning even cleaner water, going out. "We're using, as the fertilizer for this crop, the nutrients that are left over from the wastewater treatment plant, that normally would be going into the stream, where we really don't want them to go." And they'd harvest every five days, not just once a year.
One more interesting attempt in the algae to fuel experiments...let's wish them all the best!
Full report from here
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REG’s technology can produce biodiesel from algae
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The following is the brief excerpt of an article about the Renewable Energy Group from Biodiesel Magazine (the full article can be read here)
Renewable Energy Group of Ames, Iowa, has announced it has technology capable of producing biodiesel from algae oil. The company said it is working with several groups to commercialize algae production, but it is not producing algae itself.
REG has adapted it multi-feedstock technology to refine oil from a variety of algae strains and produce biodiesel exceeding ASTM standards. The results indicate the process can be commercialized when sufficient quantities of algae oil become available. At this time, REG is working with algae companies to develop their process. “We have worked with a variety of algae companies that we think will become producers,” said Daniel Oh, chief operating officer of REG. “We can work with algae companies who are trying to define what they are trying to do from a strain selection perspective to the smartest way to scale up to a commercial scale.”
Well, there is a lot of vague assertions in the article and I'm not entirely clear what is so great about REG's tech...but may be they will soon tell us!
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The following is the brief excerpt of an article about the Renewable Energy Group from Biodiesel Magazine (the full article can be read here)
Renewable Energy Group of Ames, Iowa, has announced it has technology capable of producing biodiesel from algae oil. The company said it is working with several groups to commercialize algae production, but it is not producing algae itself.
REG has adapted it multi-feedstock technology to refine oil from a variety of algae strains and produce biodiesel exceeding ASTM standards. The results indicate the process can be commercialized when sufficient quantities of algae oil become available. At this time, REG is working with algae companies to develop their process. “We have worked with a variety of algae companies that we think will become producers,” said Daniel Oh, chief operating officer of REG. “We can work with algae companies who are trying to define what they are trying to do from a strain selection perspective to the smartest way to scale up to a commercial scale.”
Well, there is a lot of vague assertions in the article and I'm not entirely clear what is so great about REG's tech...but may be they will soon tell us!
By the way, have you subscribed to the Oilgae Blog?; How about joining the Oilgae mailing list?
Greenbelt Resources Expanding into the Algae Oil Market
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Press release.
Aug 06, 2008 - Greenbelt Resources Corporation has signed an agreement to acquire 20% of Renewed World Energies, Inc. Renewed World Energies is an algae oil company specializing in a new automation for covered pond harvesting of genetically modified super-algae strains used to produce a non-food based oil for biodiesel. The transaction also includes an exclusive distribution agreement.
Greenbelt Resources Corporation has been identifying ways to expand its core business of environmentally friendly ethanol plants. One solution is to unlock the value contained in algae. After significant market research in the sector, the board felt the synergies between these two brands would be a significant benefit to the market and most importantly to our shareholders.
This is a press release folks, so take whatever is being said with a dose of circumspection. That said, it will indeed be interesting to see where Greenbelt's research takes them, and all of us...
Full press release from here
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Press release.
Aug 06, 2008 - Greenbelt Resources Corporation has signed an agreement to acquire 20% of Renewed World Energies, Inc. Renewed World Energies is an algae oil company specializing in a new automation for covered pond harvesting of genetically modified super-algae strains used to produce a non-food based oil for biodiesel. The transaction also includes an exclusive distribution agreement.
Greenbelt Resources Corporation has been identifying ways to expand its core business of environmentally friendly ethanol plants. One solution is to unlock the value contained in algae. After significant market research in the sector, the board felt the synergies between these two brands would be a significant benefit to the market and most importantly to our shareholders.
This is a press release folks, so take whatever is being said with a dose of circumspection. That said, it will indeed be interesting to see where Greenbelt's research takes them, and all of us...
Full press release from here
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Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Guardian Article on Oil from Algae, Sapphire Energy & Green Crude
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A long and interesting oilgae article, with a focus on Sapphire Energy, the green crude company that has been making news last few months...
Full report here
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Nature gave us oil from algae; perhaps we should try Nature's way again
A long and interesting oilgae article, with a focus on Sapphire Energy, the green crude company that has been making news last few months...
Full report here
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Nature gave us oil from algae; perhaps we should try Nature's way again
AXI, LLC - Allied Minds Partners with Univ of Washington for Algae Biofuels
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BOSTON, Aug. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Minds, a seed investment corporation specializing in early stage university business ventures, has partnered with the University of Washington to establish AXI, LLC to commercialize novel technology to develop and create commercially advantageous strains of algae for the production of biofuels.
AXI is developing algal strains that will bridge the gap between the promise of clean energy generation and the reality of economical biofuel production systems. Of the many feedstocks that can be used for biodiesel, algae are emerging as the clear winner because significant biomass can be produced on non-arable lands (thus avoiding the food vs. fuel debate) and CO2 (a greenhouse gas) supports their growth. "Our proprietary methodology for developing specific growth and productivity traits will help any algal production system improve its output of inexpensive, oil-rich algae as the raw material for the generation of biofuel," says Biology Professor Rose Ann Cattolico, developer of the AXI technology at the University of Washington.
Full news release from here
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Nature gave us oil from algae; perhaps we should try Nature's way again
BOSTON, Aug. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Minds, a seed investment corporation specializing in early stage university business ventures, has partnered with the University of Washington to establish AXI, LLC to commercialize novel technology to develop and create commercially advantageous strains of algae for the production of biofuels.
AXI is developing algal strains that will bridge the gap between the promise of clean energy generation and the reality of economical biofuel production systems. Of the many feedstocks that can be used for biodiesel, algae are emerging as the clear winner because significant biomass can be produced on non-arable lands (thus avoiding the food vs. fuel debate) and CO2 (a greenhouse gas) supports their growth. "Our proprietary methodology for developing specific growth and productivity traits will help any algal production system improve its output of inexpensive, oil-rich algae as the raw material for the generation of biofuel," says Biology Professor Rose Ann Cattolico, developer of the AXI technology at the University of Washington.
Full news release from here
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Nature gave us oil from algae; perhaps we should try Nature's way again
Some Latest News Articles on Oil from Algae
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Some latest news articles on oil from algae
Algae: Biofuel of the future? - University of Virginia researchers have a plan to greatly increase algae oil yields by feeding the algae extra carbon dioxide (the main greenhouse gas) and organic material like sewage, meaning the algae could simultaneously produce biofuel and clean up environmental problems. - Aug 15, 2008
Algae ponds trial - 19/08/2008 - ARARAT - Ararat Rural City Council will commence a trial which could pave the way for a biodiesel plant to be established in Ararat in the future. The trial, which council hopes to commence by the end of the month, involves algae being grown to produce oil which is then transformed into biodiesel, a fuel which can be used on its own or blended with traditional diesel. A series of six, 30 square metre ponds will be established on a trial site at NMIT, containing different varieties of local algae collected from local streams, dams and lakes.
Algae: Biofuel Of The Future? - ScienceDaily (Aug. 19, 2008) — In the world of alternative fuels, there may be nothing greener than pond scum. -
Five Questions with Kenneth Hern - Q: What do you see as the most promising feedstock for biodiesel?; A: I think algae is certainly one of them. Ditropha is another one. The oil of ditropha is not edible by human beings so it would be a triglyceride. We're looking at anything out there that's a triglyceride that people don't eat and don't consume because if you compete with calories you're going to always lose -
Full scale algae production still 5 years away - Aug 14, 2008
Farming Alternative Fuels - “Fourth generation fuels” is a buzz phrase that essentially just means algal biodiesel, but with additional genetic manipulation. Current algal biodiesel requires a processing phase where the oil-bearing algae are centrifuged or pressed to extract the oil; it should be possible to engineer the organisms to excrete the oil, however, meaning that processing would simply involve skimming off the floating oil from the algae tank
2nd Generation Biofuels Summary - Bottom Line: Algae produce thousands of gallons more oil per acre than crops such as soy or palm, but growing and processing them at scale still present challenges. A number of U.S. facilities are slated to come on line by 2012. - Aug 18, 2008
Algae in Your Gas Tank? - 18 Aug 2008
By the way, have you subscribed to the Oilgae Blog?
Nature gave us oil from algae; perhaps we should try Nature's way again
Some latest news articles on oil from algae
Algae: Biofuel of the future? - University of Virginia researchers have a plan to greatly increase algae oil yields by feeding the algae extra carbon dioxide (the main greenhouse gas) and organic material like sewage, meaning the algae could simultaneously produce biofuel and clean up environmental problems. - Aug 15, 2008
Algae ponds trial - 19/08/2008 - ARARAT - Ararat Rural City Council will commence a trial which could pave the way for a biodiesel plant to be established in Ararat in the future. The trial, which council hopes to commence by the end of the month, involves algae being grown to produce oil which is then transformed into biodiesel, a fuel which can be used on its own or blended with traditional diesel. A series of six, 30 square metre ponds will be established on a trial site at NMIT, containing different varieties of local algae collected from local streams, dams and lakes.
Algae: Biofuel Of The Future? - ScienceDaily (Aug. 19, 2008) — In the world of alternative fuels, there may be nothing greener than pond scum. -
Five Questions with Kenneth Hern - Q: What do you see as the most promising feedstock for biodiesel?; A: I think algae is certainly one of them. Ditropha is another one. The oil of ditropha is not edible by human beings so it would be a triglyceride. We're looking at anything out there that's a triglyceride that people don't eat and don't consume because if you compete with calories you're going to always lose -
Full scale algae production still 5 years away - Aug 14, 2008
Farming Alternative Fuels - “Fourth generation fuels” is a buzz phrase that essentially just means algal biodiesel, but with additional genetic manipulation. Current algal biodiesel requires a processing phase where the oil-bearing algae are centrifuged or pressed to extract the oil; it should be possible to engineer the organisms to excrete the oil, however, meaning that processing would simply involve skimming off the floating oil from the algae tank
2nd Generation Biofuels Summary - Bottom Line: Algae produce thousands of gallons more oil per acre than crops such as soy or palm, but growing and processing them at scale still present challenges. A number of U.S. facilities are slated to come on line by 2012. - Aug 18, 2008
Algae in Your Gas Tank? - 18 Aug 2008
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Nature gave us oil from algae; perhaps we should try Nature's way again
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Algae Fuel Tested at US Power Plants with GreenFuel Tech
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Algae fuel idea has been tested at several locations. NRG Energy, a power company based in Princeton, N.J., participated with GreenFuel Technologies Corp. to try out GreenFuel's proprietary system at a 1,489-net-megawatt, coal-fueled power plant in New Roads, La.
NRG spokesman David Knox said that he could not discuss the results, but that the utility is "interested in seeing what evolves from the GreenFuel technology as they do further research."
More from here
Nature gave us oil from algae; perhaps we should try Nature's way again
Algae fuel idea has been tested at several locations. NRG Energy, a power company based in Princeton, N.J., participated with GreenFuel Technologies Corp. to try out GreenFuel's proprietary system at a 1,489-net-megawatt, coal-fueled power plant in New Roads, La.
NRG spokesman David Knox said that he could not discuss the results, but that the utility is "interested in seeing what evolves from the GreenFuel technology as they do further research."
More from here
Nature gave us oil from algae; perhaps we should try Nature's way again
Algae to palm oil, Airlines Seeking Alternative Fuels
You are at: Oilgae Blog. See the complete list of Oilgae Blog articles.
Some interesting points:
1. The airline industry is aggressively pushing for homegrown alternatives to petroleum-based jet fuel to help control a projected $61 billion industrywide fuel expense this year.
2. Jet engines can be retrofitted to run on hydrogen, for example. But hydrogen does not pack the same punch as traditional jet fuel -- kerosene -- and would require airlines to buy planes designed with massive tanks.
3. The best bet right now for nonconventional fuel comes from South Africa, experts said. The country has powered its airline industry for a decade using a coal-based jet fuel blend developed by petrochemicals group Sasol.
4. Meanwhile, Boeing and Air New Zealand later this year will test a biofuel made from the oil-rich seeds of the jatropha tree. In February, Boeing partnered with Virgin Atlantic to test a flight that included a biofuel mixture of babassu oil, which comes from a palm tree in northern Brazil, and coconut oil.
5. And finally algae: Investors have pumped almost $84 million into companies developing algae-based fuel so far this year, up from $29 million in all of 2007, according to the Cleantech Group, an industry research firm...Yay Yay!
6. And the usual dampener: Despite its promise, it will be years before algae biofuel could be sold at a price that would make sense to an airline
Full report here
Nature gave us oil from algae; perhaps we should try Nature's way again
Some interesting points:
1. The airline industry is aggressively pushing for homegrown alternatives to petroleum-based jet fuel to help control a projected $61 billion industrywide fuel expense this year.
2. Jet engines can be retrofitted to run on hydrogen, for example. But hydrogen does not pack the same punch as traditional jet fuel -- kerosene -- and would require airlines to buy planes designed with massive tanks.
3. The best bet right now for nonconventional fuel comes from South Africa, experts said. The country has powered its airline industry for a decade using a coal-based jet fuel blend developed by petrochemicals group Sasol.
4. Meanwhile, Boeing and Air New Zealand later this year will test a biofuel made from the oil-rich seeds of the jatropha tree. In February, Boeing partnered with Virgin Atlantic to test a flight that included a biofuel mixture of babassu oil, which comes from a palm tree in northern Brazil, and coconut oil.
5. And finally algae: Investors have pumped almost $84 million into companies developing algae-based fuel so far this year, up from $29 million in all of 2007, according to the Cleantech Group, an industry research firm...Yay Yay!
6. And the usual dampener: Despite its promise, it will be years before algae biofuel could be sold at a price that would make sense to an airline
Full report here
Nature gave us oil from algae; perhaps we should try Nature's way again
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