An Old Letter from GreenFuel, But an Interesting One!

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Bumped across a rather old letter from the (then) GreenFuel Technologies CEO Bob Metcalfe. This was written in Jun 2007, but I thought I'd give a link to it because it lays out some interesting things that happened at the algae energy pioneer company.

What's really funny is that the main problem that the GreenFuel Tech folks faced at that time was overgrowth of algae in the greenhouse - that is, the algae productivity was much more than expected leading to problems in managing orderly growth and harvesting. So they had to shut down the entire greenhouse.

The letter also lays out other challenges and the efforts undertaken to overcome these challenges. The one other challenge that caught my eye was that the greenhouse (construction?) cost was twice as much as expected.

An interesting case study. I liked the final statement from Metcalfe - "I keep asking the trillion-dollar question that led to the founding of GreenFuel: Why expensively sequester CO2 when it can be profitably recycled?"...which in fact happens to be the tagline at their company web site as well

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Two Different Airlines Funded Sapphire Energy For Algae BioFuel

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Two different airlines had algae biofuel test flights this month, and both turned to the well-funded Sapphire Energy for their needs. Japan Airlines took flight today on a plane partially powered by camelina, jatropha and a small percentage of algae-based biofuels, while Houston’s Continental Airlines took to the wild biofuel yonder earlier this month, using a blend of jatropha and algae.

San Diego-based Sapphire has some big-name backers on its side, including Bill Gates’ Cascade Investment, ARCH Venture Partners and Venrock, and with more than $100 million in financing, is one of the most well-funded algae biofuel startups around. And Sapphire touts that its algae biofuel is chemically identical to crude oil, making it compatible with anything on the road, or in the air.

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Liverpool John Lennon airport Uses Algae For CO2 Sequestration

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LIVERPOOL John Lennon airport is testing a revolutionary scheme to convert harmful CO² emissions into car and aviation fuel.Airport chiefs are running a 12-month trial of new hardware designed to capture CO² emissions from passengers and workers in the terminal.

They will then be passed through a gadget containing algae, which will convert them into material capable of being made into a biofuel.

This will be used to power some of the airport’s diesel vehicles and, depending on the trial’s success, could even produce aviation-grade fuel.

Spokesman Amy Dartington said: “This is a cynical piece of spin to make the airport look greener while they are planning on extending the runway.Algae-to-biofuel technologies are still in their infancy and it is not clear how this particular piece of kit actually works.We look forward to seeing concrete results so we can see if it has made any real difference.”

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WWF Opposses large-scale Ocean Fertilization Project

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A recent decision by the German government to give the go-ahead to a controversial large-scale ocean fertilization experiment (LOHAFEX) in international waters of the Southern Ocean has left WWF doubting Germany’s commitment to global agreements on the environment.

Last year, the meeting of the parties to the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) imposed a de facto moratorium on large-scale ocean fertilization experiments and commercial uses, only allowing for small-scale scientific research in coastal waters.

WWF encourages the development of innovative solutions to tackle the huge threat climate change poses to the planet, but these solutions need to be carefully assessed in order to not create more problems than they solve.

This year is a pivotal year for climate change, and WWF is working to ensure a robust agreement is reached to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the Copenhagen Climate Summit in December.

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Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) Executive Nigel Perry said Algae is Intresting

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This year will also see the CPI increase its research into the use of algae as a source of low-carbon biofuel and it has already received significant funding to produce sustainable algae crops this year.

The technology is currently undergoing trials to decide whether to ferment or heat the algae in order to produce a sludge like biomass, which is incredibly rich in energy-producing chemicals.

Chief executive of the CPI Nigel Perry said: “Despite worries that there may be less private investment in innovation this year, we are in reasonably good shape and are looking to take a number of projects onto the next stage.

“Although the research into algae is only in the early stages we are receiving interest from a number of parties excited about its potential as a major source of bio-fuel.”

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Bodega Algae Develops Light Sources to Enhance Algae Growth

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Smaller Bodega Algae, a six-person company focused on developing new light sources to enhance the growth of algae in bioreactors, is also pushing ahead. According to CEO Joe Dahmen, the company has four prototypes of its system in the field — two at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California and two at a research center at the University of Washington — and is in the process of building a next-generation product, expected to be smaller and more efficient.

Dahmen said that the waning interest in biofuels as a replacement for oil and gas is temporary, and the situation is encouraging researchers in the algae sector to look at other areas for more general algae applications.

“There are other applications, such as bioplastics, bioceuticals and industrial applications, that are being looked at as near-term markets,” he said.

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Lynch Explains Algae Technology in SCIA Annual Meeting

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"There is a lot of hope and excitement in Shenandoah, and that is rebolstered after tonight's meeting," SCIA Executive Director Gregg Connell told the record crowd.

From left: Gregg Connell, Nancy Maher and Kevin Lynch sit and watch as new SCIA Vice President Dick Profit talks on behalf of new President Ron Oestmann at Monday’s annual meeting.

Lynch is the CEO of BioProcess Algae and talked about the impact algae could have on Shenandoah - and the world.BioProcess is a joint venture, involving Green Plains Renewable Energy, researching the feasibility for producing oil for biofuels at the ethanol plant in Shenandoah.Lynch, of Dublin, Ireland, has been tapped to lead his company through the first phase of the local algae project, which supporters are calling one of the first of its kind.

"Shenandoah could become the Saudi Arabia of ethanol," Lynch told the crowd. "Currently the US imports substantly over 50 percent of its petroleum, from a handful of countries. In the next couple of years those countries are going to dwindle to a few countries in the Middle East and Russia."Lynch said with the oil producing possibilities of algae, the focus of oil production could shift from overseas to the United States - in particular Iowa.Lynch said although several companies worldwide are researching algae as an energy source, he believes BioProcess has the upper hand for several reasons.

He believes the technology behind their process for growing the algae and extracted its oil is superior, plus they have all the necessary components - namely water and carbon dioxide which is a byproduct of producing ethanol.Lynch also said GPRE has another valuable asset once oil production from the algae gets underway, and that is distribution.Lynch went on to say not only is the energy producing capabilities of this project exciting, but also it was also be something that helps out the environment by using excess carbon dioxide."We have a possibility or probability that CO2 is bad, and the certainty that we can do something about it," he said. "It's certainly something we should act upon."

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Potential of Algal fuel Technology in IT sector

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Alternative energies such as biofuels and solar and wind power aren't very alternative anymore. Now, there are "alternative-alternative" or "operational" technologies to take their places on the fringe: geothermal, tidal and passive nuclear energies, for example.Emerging energy technology is now known as "operational technology," said Sumic, who works with Gartner's energy and technology advisory services, a group that explores the potential effects of emerging energy technologies on the IT sector.

Algal fuel or algae-based biofuel holds "great promise," due to its energy potential," King said, adding that algae contains up to 30 times more fuel than equivalent amounts of other biofuel sources and can be grown almost anywhere.

Still, he acknowledged, "for now, it's far too expensive to produce commercially."

Where all the research goes depends largely on funding. The U.S. government spends less in inflation-adjusted dollars on alternative-energy research than it did in the 1970s, particularly in the area of geothermal technology.

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Presence of Lignin in Red Algae Discovered

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Lignin, a principal component of wood, is a glue-like substance that helps fortify cell walls and is instrumental in the transport of water in many plants.

Like many land plants, this red seaweed produces lignin, a primary component of wood.

In a study published in today's issue of the journal Current Biology, lead author Patrick Martone and colleagues describe using powerful chemical and microscopic anatomy techniques to identify and localize lignin within cell walls of a red alga that thrives along the wave-swept California coast. Martone conducted the work described in the paper while a graduate student and postdoctoral researcher in the laboratory of co-author Mark Denny, Professor of Biology at Stanford's Hopkins Marine Station.

The new discovery may affect one of the ways land plants are distinguished from aquatic algae in textbooks – by the presence of lignin. It is also of interest to biofuel researchers since lignin binds cell walls and prevents the extraction of cellulose, a key component in biofuel production.

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Major Industry Emitting CO2 needs Algae Installation

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Major Industry Emitting CO2 needs Algae Installation

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For a healthier environment today, tomorrow and in the distant future: algae. That’s the belief of Riggs Eckelberry, CEO of Origin Oil, in Los Angeles.

Eckelberry sees this algae tech spreading rapidly across Europe where last year the E.U. tax on CO2 emissions quintupled. If you have a plate glass factory, cement plant, utility burning and fossil fuel, you need an algae tank that consumers that CO2. Turns waste into valuable resource. Eckelberry and I speculated that in the future there may be CO2 pipelines delivering the valuable gas to algae-driven utilities. Meanwhile, every major industry that generates CO2 or other organic gas emissions needs its friendly algae installation.

How confident is Eckelberry? “We’ll provide the technology and there’ll be a tornado of adoptions.” He’s seeing intense interest across Europe, from Japanese companies, and in far-flung development centers like Dubai and Mumbai. Why? The algae solution is localized, uses primarily off-the-shelf technology combined with know-how and process information from Origin Oil.

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Sammy Boussiba of Ben-Gurion University says Algae is Tough Business

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An expert in algae research and genetic engineering who heads the BGU’s Landau Family Microalgal Biotechnology Laboratory, disclosed that large-scale algae production is not without its challenges:

Some of the major problems associated with are biological—including oxygen control and strain stability. Algae adapt to conditions, and producers need to make sure that the algae remain the same strain as when they started. Culture contaminants can be serious problems and a parasite infestation can close production.

“The message I want to convey to you is that this is a tough business, and if you don’t know what you are doing, you’ll be out in a few years…If you are working with little reactors, you are playing games, you are not in the real world. When you go to reality, it is much more complicated,” Boussiba said at the conference.

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Large-scale Algae-to-Biofuel Research Project in Nevada

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The first real-world, demonstration-scale project in Nevada for turning algae into biofuel has successfully completed the initial stage of research at the University of Nevada, Reno. The project is on track to show the process is an economical, commercially viable renewable energy source in Nevada.

University researchers have harvested their first outdoor cold-weather crop of algae as part of their collaborative algae-to-biofuels project with their industry partners Enegis, LLC and Bebout and Associates.

University researchers have harvested their first outdoor cold-weather crop of algae as part of their collaborative algae-to-biofuels project Photo provided by Mark Lemos.

The project, using one of two 5,000-gallon ponds at the University’s greenhouse complex on Valley Road in Reno, produced several hundred gallons of concentrated algal slurry. The algae thrived in the outdoor pond despite nighttime temperatures that fell into the low 20s.

“We’ll be analyzing the algae for starches and lipids, the components that can be used for fuel,” said Professor John Cushman, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology.

Nevada researchers and energy producers are uniquely enabled to leverage the geothermal, high solar radiation, ample land area, and salt basins to produce algae in a scalable and economically viable manner. Use of the uncovered ponds demonstrates that algae can be grown in commercial quantities year-round, even in a temperate climate. This will preclude the need for capital-intensive bioreactors or covered ponds.

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Biofuels Digest released summary of US venture capital investment in biofuels

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For 2008, VCs poured $680.2 million into US biofuels during 2008, including $437 million for cellulosic ethanol, $175.9 million in microalgae, $42 million in butanol and 25.3 million into systems and infrastructure providers. VC invested $110.5 million in the 4th quarter economic slowdown, after a lively $233 million in the 2nd quarter, high for the year.

Summary of the years transactions by company, date, amount and investor.

Petro Algae, $10 million, 12/26: Undisclosed investors

Coskata, $40 million, 12/5: Blackstone Cleantech Venture Partners, Sumitomo, Arancia, Khosla Ventures, Advanced Technology Ventures, Globespan Capital Partners and TriplePoint Capital.

Solix, $10.5 million, 11/12: I2BF Venture Capital, Bohemian Investments, Southern Ute Alternative Energy, Valero Energy and Infield Capital

Sapphire Energy, $100 million, 9/18: ARCH Venture Partners, Wellcome Trust, Venrock and Cascade Investment

Solazyme: $45.4 million, 8/27: Braemar Energy Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, The Roda Group and Harris & Harris Group .

Amyris Technologies, $90 million, 8/15: DAG Ventures, Khosla Ventures, Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers, TPG Ventures, John Melo, Jeryl Hilleman, Kinkead Reiling, Jack Newman, Neil Renninger, Ralph Alexander, and Tamara Tompkins.

Aurora Bio Fuels, $20.0 million 6/10: Oak Investment Partners, Gabriel Venture Partners, and Noventi

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AXI develop Algae Strains for Biofuel Production

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Unlike other companies interested in algae-based fuel, AXI will not actually make the fuel itself but will liaise closely with biofuel producers to develop strains of algae that produce the right types of oil for different fuel applications. Algae can produce large amounts of biostock for conversion into fuel that could be an alternative energy source to petrol, and other biofuels that are based on cereals.

Rose Ann Cattolico displays some of the varieties of algae she studies in her University of Washington laboratory. Different types of algae can produce different types of biofuels.

AXI was created as an alliance between the University of Washington and Allied Minds, a seed investment company that works with universities to commercialize early-stage technology. In particular, it was the work of Rose Ann Cattolico at the university, who has been studying the physiology of algae for more than 30 years, that interested Allied Minds.

Different types of algae, such as single-celled organisms or large kelps (seaweeds), will produce different lipids (or oils) depending on the conditions in which they are grown. This is because the plants produce varying numbers of carbon-carbon links under different growth conditions. Biodiesel, for example, requires lipids that have 14 carbon-carbon links and AXI says it will choose the best algae for each type of fuel application.

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Cyanotech Sold 600 gallons of Algae Oil to Sapphire Energy

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Hawaii’s two publicly traded biotech companies are generating as much business by selling raw algae in bulk as they are by selling their core product, algae-based nutritional supplements.

Biodiesel from Algae oil

During the second half of 2008, both Cyanotech Corp. and Mera Pharmaceuticals saw half their revenue generated from bulk sales of algae. Previously, raw materials averaged less than 40 percent of total sales at both firms, company executives said.

The sales of raw materials are primarily to companies that produce biodiesel from algae.

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South Korea Researchers Breaks Algae into Simple Sugars using Enzymes.

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Now, researchers in South Korea have managed to devise a method of obtaining ethanol that is both very safe and highly productive.The main secret behind their revolutionary technique is a certain enzyme, which has the capacity of breaking down the algae into simple sugars. As we all know, that's the stuff ethanol is made off, and a simple fermentation process is all that is required in order for that to happen.

All someone would need in order to to produce ethanol would be a very large bowl, some algae, the enzyme, as well as gas-trapping equipment and pressurization devices, so as to bottle the biofuel.

Furthermore, because algae grow in their natural habitat, underwater, they develop very fast, and can be harvested approximately 5-6 times per year, which would lead to a considerably increased efficiency, as opposed to waiting for potatoes to grow in rough soil, once a year. Another great advantage that algae have is the fact that they do not contain lignin, like the wood does, which means that they don't have to be treated with chemicals before being processed.

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PetroSun CEO Invited to Speak at 4th Renewable Energy Finance Forum

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PetroSun, Inc. announced today that its CEO, Gordon LeBlanc, Jr., has accepted an invitation to speak at the 4th Renewable Energy Finance Forum - China to be held in Beijing on May 12-13, 2009. The Renewable Energy Finance Forum - China is jointly organized with the Chinese Renewable Energy Industry Association. The focus of the forum is finance and investment in renewable energy. Mr. LeBlanc will discuss the commercialization of biofuel technologies in the Chinese market.

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Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC) Researcher Explores Algae

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A Southern Illinois University Carbondale researcher is exploring the potential use of algae as an alternative energy source.

Yanna Liang, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, is working on ways to improve and extract naturally occurring substances in certain algae strains that can be used to create biodiesel fuel.Of the huge number of algae types, Liang is focusing her research on two varieties that appear to have particular potential.

Dr. Yanna Liang, Ph.D.Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale,.

One, Chlorella vulgaris, is a fresh-water alga that uses carbon dioxide to grow and create lipids, substances similar to those found in corn and used to produce vegetable oil. As an autotrophic organism, it is relatively slow growing but produces cells with high lipid content.

The second strain - Schizochytrium limacinum SR21 - is a seawater alga that is heterotrophic, meaning it must be "fed" a carbon source in place of carbon dioxide. This particular strain can use glycerin, which is a byproduct - often a waste product - of biodiesel production. Liang sees a particular advantage in this, as the strain might be integrated into the production stream at some point, creating greater efficiency and less waste.

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National Algae Association - Fifth Algae Biofuels Development Conference

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The National Algae Association will hold its fifth algae biofuels commercialization, research and development conference on January 29-30, 2009 in Houston. The event will start with presentations from algae producers and algae reserchers and technology providers. The draft agenda will be Sapphire Energy, BioCentric Energy, Kai BioEnergy, Guava Technologies, Rosetta Genomics, Bard LLC, REG, Rentech, Cauffiel Technologies, Algabio and AlgaeLink. The conference will also feature break-out sessions for innovations and scientific advancements in algae research and development.

"Recent breakthroughs in synthetic biology, closed-end loop photobioreactor systems, and raceway pond developments are helping to accelerate the advancement of commercialization of algae biofuels," said Will Thurmond, Chairman of R&D for the NAA and author of Algae 2020. "In this effort, the National Algae Association is uniquely dedicated in providing quarterly forums to showcase and support the advancement of these endeavors," said Thurmond.

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Algae Technology - Early Investors Can Make Huge Profits

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"While the algae fuel field is not completely crowded, multiple players are developing, harvesting and extracting systems that could one day be industry-standard designs. In as little as three years, we could see a powerful new energy industry."

Algae has great potential as an alternative and clean source of oil. Greg Gunner Guenthner "we could see a powerful new energy industry emerging in the next few years. He says early investors could make huge profits with these three small cap companies developing the technology to extract fuel from algae"

"Chevron and Shell have started exploring the possibilities of algae. There are also a few small companies that are working on the technology. Below are three penny stocks in the algae fuel business. All of these stocks have a market cap under $2 million, a share price under 10 cents, and can be found on the Pink Sheets and Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board:

* GreenShift Corporation (OTC:GERS)
* Nanoforce Inc. (PINK:NNFC)
* PetroSun Inc. (PINK:PSUD)

With the coming transition to alternative fuels, early investors in algae oil stand to claim some huge gains if this technology takes off… "

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BioCentric Energy Appoints Dennis Fisher and Dennis Shen

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BioCentric Energy, Inc. has appointed both Dennis Fisher and Dennis Shen as board members for BioCentric Energy Holdings (PINKSHEETS: BEHL). As part of the merger agreement Mr. Dan Motsinger shall be resigning as both a board member and as President. Mr. Fisher shall also be placed as President of BEHL.

Dennis Fisher, Board Member and President for BioCentric Energy, Inc., stated today," For a number of years we have been building Our Unique Green Team which consists of proven capable and successful professionals that are and have been committed to delivering our country and our planet a profitable path to reduce global warming." Mr. Fisher went on to say, "Approximately one third of the CO2 Green House Gas Emissions are directly attributed to the production of energy in our country (http://fossil.energy.gov/programs/sequestration/publications/programplans/2005/sequestration_roadmap_2005.pdf). Our primary focus is the delivery of our low cost photobioreactor systems that take the emissions from smoke stacks and, in a closed loop environment, grow algae for production and harvest."

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Algae Protein Market -A Driving Force for Algae Biodiesel

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The growing use of algae biomass for nutraceutical purposes is expected to provide an attractive revenue stream for those using algae oil for biodiesel.The further development of a large-scale algae protein market will be the driving force to making algae oil a reality for biodiesel production. The path forward is awaiting, but more marketing and penetration into existing food sectors is needed. The sports nutrition market is worth more than $27 billion per year and has a great potential as an algae protein market.

A twin photobioreactor and lighting array is used to produce algae

Algae, are a fish food, used for many common species including tilapia. Algae are also used to feed the brine shrimp used to feed other species of farm-raised fish such as salmon. Regardless, algae are in high demand for fish food in the aquaculture market and provide a great revenue stream for the algae industry.

The vitamins and minerals within algae may be fractionated from the biomass. This application has been used for years for a wide array of products in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. After the algal biomass is fractionated, the remaining cellulosic material and sugars make a great feedstock whole, or blended with other feedstocks, for the production of cellulosic ethanol.

As these potential new markets open, and due to the high value of biomass, algae lipid oil will become a reality as a feedstock for biodiesel production. These are some of the factors that need to be considered in order to make an algae farm for lipid oil profitable and provide an inexpensive high-grade feedstock for biodiesel production.

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John Benemann - New Advisor to Future Fuels Consortium

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Dr John Benemann, who has worked in the area of microalgae biofuels in the United States for more than30 years, has been appointed as a specialist advisor to the Future Fuels Consortium comprising the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), Flinders University, CSIRO and major project sponsor SANCON.

Dr Benemann says SA has the potential to produce algal biodiesel feedstock but there are challenges in developing a sufficiently low-cost technology to produce microalgae biofuel economically, including stable cultivation at high productivity and harvesting.

By off-setting production costs with high value co-products such as nutraceuticals, and co-processes such as waste water treatment, the vision of algal biofuels could be realised in the nearer term, he said.

As an example of the potential of microalgae for biodiesel production, it has been estimated that only 400,000 hectares of land using seawater is required to replace Australia's current biodiesel needs, compared to 20 million hectares of canola growing on agricultural land and using freshwater resources.

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Southern Invention Turns Sewage Algae Into Crude Oil

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Invercargill engineering firm BL Rayners Ltd and Christchurch recycling company Solvent Rescue Ltd have collaborated under the name Solray to develop the machine, which has taken them 18 years to perfect.

Solvent Rescue owner Chris Bathurst said the MKII had been operating for the past four months after performing to expectation during its testing phase.It was two to three months away from being used commercially at the Bromley oxidation ponds in Christchurch, he said"It's a high-risk project but we feel we're ahead of the game."

The machine left sewage water clean, while the algae absorbs carbon dioxide, making the technology appealing to councils and heavy polluters, Mr Bathurst said. Twelve councils had already made inquiries, he said.

• The machine uses high pressure to turn algae, grown in sewage ponds, into algal sludge.
• The sludge is then processed using pressure, temperature, timing and a secret catalyst to turn it into crude oil.
• The crude oil can then be refined into jet fuel (kerosene), petrol, methane, LPG, diesel, or bitumen.
• The sewage pond water is left clean enough to be re-used by industry.
• The algae absorbs carbon dioxide.
• The process replicates how oil is created naturally, but much faster.

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Indian Oil Corporation Plans To Invest In Algae

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Despite the sharp fall in crude oil prices globally, government-owned oil companies are not scaling back their research and development (R&D) spends on alternative and renewable energy. They have, in fact, been aggressively increasing their outlays for such programmes.

For instance, Indian Oil Corporation, the nation’s biggest marketer and refiner, doubled its R&D spend from Rs 30 crore to Rs 60 crore this year. The company is conducting research in areas like biodegradable lubricants and oil refining technology. The company will shortly commission a pilot at its Faridabad centre, where it will install technology for coal gassification and production of ethanol from biomass.

“We are bullish on investing in forms of alternative and renewable energy. At our R&D centre, we are looking at developing eco-friendly lubricants and producing diesel from algae. We are also looking at tying up with international energy institutes,” said Anand Kumar, director, R&D, IOC. The company has recruited five scientists from international universities for its laboratories.

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Kentucky Univ & General Atomics - Explore Enzyme, Algae Process

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Researchers at the Center for Renewable and Alternative Fuel Technologies at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Ky., are partnering with San Diego-based General Atomics to study the potential for converting cellulosic biomass into biodiesel and ultimately jet fuel.

“This partnership links Kentucky and EKU with an international business leader that is turning its focus and considerable resources to biomass-to-fuel initiatives,” said university President Doug Whitlock. “This project is different in that it will be focused on the production of biodiesel and ultimately biobased jet fuel using nonfood cellulosic materials in a process that will utilize algae to convert the biomass into bio-oils. The research at EKU will determine both the optimal ‘recipe’ of cellulosic material and the economic feasibility of the project.” He said EKU will also pursue opportunities to develop collaborative relationships with other colleges and universities.

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Industrial Algae Plant Configuration Face Problems

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Algae developers are riding a wave of interest due to the single-celled plant’s ability to grow rapidly and produce valuable products that can be used to make biodiesel. How industrial algae plants will be configured is yet unknown, but producers will face the same problems as other alternative energy producers—where to put the facility and how to get government permission to build it.

The illustration shows a future algae farm surrounding an integrated fossil carbon input plant and an algal biomass conversion plant.

It is hard work getting an industrial plant built. Developers need to find a site with easy access to infrastructure for water, power and transportation yet not too close to residential or commercial areas that may object to noise, traffic, odor or any number of other inconveniences. They must then contend with a thicket of agencies, starting with local zoning boards and state pollution control agencies and sometimes even needing federal approvals before they can start pushing dirt and laying foundations. Even then, community residents and outsiders, who may believe they weren’t consulted properly can still swoop in and cause more headaches with lawsuits and media campaigns designed to delay or stop a project.

These problems can be magnified when a project is a “first-of-its-kind” facility for what promises to be a booming industry in the future. Algae production for biofuels, biomass, chemicals and other products faces these challenges. Companies pursuing algae production could learn from previous generations of alternative energy production, says Peter Mostow, a partner with Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati, a law firm that works with many clean technology and renewable energy firms.

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Ben Gurion University, Primafuel Join on Algae Biorefinery

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Ben Gurion University of the Negev and California-based low-carbon fuel developer Primafuel are partnering on an international algae biorefinery program.

The multi-year development deal, between Primafuel and Ben Gurion University's Microalgal Biotechnology Laboratory (MBL)is estimated to be worth several million dollars.

The MBL has three decade of experience in producing commercial quantities of algae for the food and nutraceutical markets. That venture includes one of the largest photobioreactors in the world.

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Universiti Malaysia Sabah Students Fuel Interest In Algae

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A group of chemical engineering students from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) is suggesting algae as the next hot ingredient as a bio-fuel source.

The Engineering and Information Technology School students’ research showed algae produced about 250 times more oil per hectare of land compared to palm oil trees.

Their research was persuasive enough to win top spot in the technical presentation on bio-fuels at the National Chemical Engineers Symposium held at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) last August.

The third year students – Abeed Fatima Mohidin Batcha, Hanif Mohd Taffy Gan, Helen Chuo Sin Ee and Khoo Jia Yong – also argued that conditions in Malaysia were ideal for algae cultivation.

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Green Plain Renewable Energy Inc.(GPRE) forms algae venture

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Nebraska-based Green Plain Renewable Energy Inc. has partnered with Tennessee-based filtration products manufacturer Clarcor Inc., Rhode Island-based photobioreactor and filtration system developer BioProcessH20 LLC, and Ireland-based NTR PLC to develop a pilot-scale algae production facility at GPRE’s 50 MMgy ethanol plant in Shenandoah, Iowa. GPRE said BioProcess Algae LLC will grow the algae, which will be used to produce biodiesel, ethanol and animal feed. The company will utilize an advanced photobioreactor based on technology licensed to the company by BioProcessH20. The size, scope and construction time line of the facility had not yet been determined.

Source:ethanolproducer.com

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Jet Fuel from Animal Fats & Algae Oil via Centia Process

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NC State Professor of Engineering Bill Roberts says "What we're trying to do is make a fuel that looks just like the petroleum derived fuel we're trying to replace."

Roberts and his colleagues are working on a multi-step catalytic process that mimics petroleum on the molecular level. It's called Centia.It starts with fat. Just like in petroleum refineries, heat, pressure, and chemicals can break down the hydrocarbon molecules in fats - transforming them into right kind of molecules to power jet engines. Professor Roberts explains the three-step process.

There's a shiny stainless steel cylinder in Roberts' lab. It's called a stirred autoclave.This reactor can get up 930 degrees and weighs nearly 700 pounds. Deep inside, the fats are broken down and transformed into fuel.

"In this reactor we’'l be able to do all three steps. So we put it our reactants, we bring it up to temperature, we stir it, let it react, let it cool down, then drain the products and see what we get," Roberts says.

The Centia process can be used to produce jet fuel, bio-gasoline, or heating fuel depending on which chemicals are added. And because the fats are rearranged on the molecular level, this biofuel doesn’t require new pipelines, storage facilities, or even new engines.

All of this research requires money, but Roberts believes that once additional funding is found, Centia biofuel could be ready to power jet airplanes in as little as 24 months.

Diversified Energy Corporation, an Arizona-based company that specializes in renewable energy projects, has licensed The Centia process from North Carolina State University.

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Sheehan joins University of Minnesota to Research Biofuels

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Biomass and renewable fuel veteran John Sheehan is joining the University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Environment, a program which includes two sectors designed to research global land use and biofuels.

Sheehan will serve as the scientific program coordinator for biofuels and the global environment, focusing in particular on direct and indirect consequences of biofuel production on land use across the world.

Sheehan’s experience in renewable energy development is vast. Possessing a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in biochemical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and Lehigh University, he began his career as a biochemical engineer at W.R. Grace and Co. and Merck Pharmaceutical.

Sheehan spent nearly 20 years with the U.S. DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, conducting work on system dynamic models for strategic and policy decision-making related to biodiesel and ethanol. His work ranged from leading the DOE’s assessment of its energy efficient and renewable energy technology portfolio to conducting studies of energy, air quality, greenhouse gas and soil impacts of corn stover-based ethanol production. He was also the project manager for the DOE’s Biodiesel from Algae Program for five years, and from 2002 to 2007, he led strategic planning and analysis activities for the DOE’s biomass program.

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Solazyme Showcases Algae Biodiesel Jeep

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Solazyme, Inc., a renewable oil production company and leading algal synthetic biology company, will feature a Jeep Liberty fueled by the world’s first algal-based renewable diesel, Soladiesel_RD^TM, at CALSTART Target 2030: Solutions to Secure California's Transportation Energy and Climate Future in Sacramento, Calif.

"Solazyme co-founders Jonathan Wolfson (left) and Harrison Dillon stare into beakers of micro-algae"

The fuel, which is a drop-in replacement for standard petrodiesel (#2 Diesel), has passed American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D975 specifications and will also be on display at the event. Both Soladiesel_RD^TM and Soladiesel_BD^TM, a FAME biodiesel that meets the (ASTM) D6751 specifications, have been successfully road tested unblended (100 percent) for thousands of miles in standard unmodified diesel engines. The Jeep, which will be available for rides throughout the event, illustrates the compatibility of the fuel with current infrastructure.

"With new elected officials across the country, now is an ideal time for events like CALSTART Target 2030, which look at energy solutions that will serve us in the long term," said Jonathan Wolfson, co-founder, and CEO of Solazyme. "We are proud to be in California, a state known for leading energy policy, and are pleased to showcase our solutions which include clean and scalable renewable fuels derived from algae that meet today’s demanding performance and regulatory specifications, while dramatically reducing the carbon footprint versus petroleum based-fuels."

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Algenol's modest Algae testing facility

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Aside from officials from the U.S. Department of Energy,Bryan Walsh was the first outsider to visit Algenol's modest testing facility. He says,There, sitting on a section of concrete half the size of a basketball court, was what Woods has been hiding from the world: several rows of long white tubs fitted with plastic windows that let in sunlight, each filled with a liquid the dark green of moss.

Algenol biologist Jesse Phillips-Kress tests an algae strain from the company's sun-absorbing bioreactors

The mixture was water and algae — microscopic plantlike organisms that feed off sunlight and carbon dioxide. With the proprietary algae happily multiplying, Woods explained that he and his partners intend to produce a biofuel greener and cheaper than oil or corn-fed ethanol: "We want to do 20 billion gallons eventually, and we will compete on price. We're a year away from sales."

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Flagellar-associated gene from C. reinhardtii Cloned

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Excitement was evident at the University of Mumbai's Centre for Basic Sciences as a faculty member and two researchers cloned a novel gene, a first of its sorts at the Kalina campus . They presented their work at Wednesday's governing council meeting of the centre presided over by chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, Anil Kakodkar.

The three-Jacinta D' - Souza, a biology faculty member and two PhD students Dolly Khona and Venkatramanan Rao-cloned a gene namely, flagellar-associated gene from the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii for the first time. "While elite institutions around the globe and in India clone genes frequently this is the first time that any gene has been cloned in the university environment,'' D'souza said. Vice-chancellor Vijay Khole said the cloned gene has managed to find a place in the gene bank.

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Twenty big green ideas

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An article on "Twenty Big Green Ideas" in Taipei Times include Ocean Fertilization for CO2 Sequestration using Phytoplanktons

Prefacing the launch of the fourth Observer Ethical Awards in London, They have chosen to highlight 20 of the biggest ethical ideas around at the moment, affording some respite to the prevailing jam-side-down version of life on offer almost everywhere else.

It includes
1. BIOCHAR
2. FERTILIZING THE OCEAN
3. BENIGN BIOFUELS
5. SPECIES RELOCATION
6. RADICAL ECO-ACTIVISM
7. REINSTATE THE DRINKING FOUNTAIN
8. THE WORLD COMMUNITY GRID
9. CRADLE TO CRADLE
10. CARROTMOBBING and so on

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Algae project will be focus of annual SCIA banquet

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Area residents will be given an opportunity to learn more about Green Plains Renewable Energy's much-discussed algea project on Jan. 26 when the Shenandoah Chamber & Industry Association meets for its annual meeting.

Lynch, of Dublin, Ireland, has been tapped to lead his company through the first phase of the local algea project, which supporters are calling one of the first of its kind.

According to a press release issued by SCIA, the local project is expected to "make an already green biofuel process even greener, while producing oil for biodiesel and feedstock for swine and poultry."

The project has received more than $2 million in grants from the Iowa Power Fund.

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GreenFuel Cuts Staff, Outsources Aurantia Cement Factory Project

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Algae biofuel outfit GreenFuel Technologies has laid off 19 people, or about half of its staff, another sign of the difficulty that fledgling alternative fuels face.

A company representative confirmed the staff reduction on Monday and said one of GreenFuel's two major customers--the Aurantia cement factory in Spain--remains a customer.

GreenFuel has developed a method for growing and harvesting algae in a greenhouse.
Company CEO Simon Upfill-Brown, who was recruited last year from Dow Chemical to head the 8-year-old firm, told Xconomy that the engineering for its Spanish deal, previously estimated at $92 million, will be outsourced.

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Investing in Algae Company Stocks

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I read an interesting article on Algae Biofuel Stocks in WallStNation.com. They have reviewed the companies in Algae Energy Industry and published the following table on Dec-2008:

Name	Symbol	Last price	Mkt cap	Volume
GreenShift Corporation	GERS	$0.0240*	2.16M	45,798.00
NANOFORCE INC	NNFC	$0.0021*	2.05M	124,990.00
VALCENT PRODUCTS INC	VCTPF	$0.31*	15.46M	202,515.00
GREEN STAR PRODUCTS	GSPI	$0.023*	5.56M	338,750.00
ORIGINOIL, INC.	OOIL	$0.30*	43.03M	39,755.00
PETROSUN INC	PSUD	$0.0600*	1.08M	545,115.00
Royal Dutch Shell plc (ADR)	RDS.A	$50.46	157.47B	5.06M
Chevron Corporation	CVX	$78.09	158.66B	21.91M

Source:WallStNation.com

This week they have published the Stock performance of Eight Algae Energy companies of which Two companies seem to have a positive return

Symbol	Dec 8th Price	Jan 9th Price	Gain/Loss	% Gain
GERS	$ 0.02	$ 0.02	$ (0.01)	-20.8%
VCTPF	$ 0.31	$ 0.27	$ (0.04)	-12.9%
GSPI	$ 0.02	$ 0.02	$ (0.00)	-2.2%
OOIL	$ 0.30	$ 0.42	$ 0.12	40.0%
PSUD	$ 0.06	$ 0.06	$ (0.00)	-5.0%
RDS.A	$ 50.46	$ 53.98	$ 3.52	7.0%
CVX	$ 78.09	$ 72.82	$ (5.27)	-6.7%

Source:WallStNation.com

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Algae Bloom Experiment in Ocean Goes Ahead Despite Enviro Fears

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A German research ship carrying 20 tons of iron sulfate is currently motoring towards the South Atlantic, and the crew plans to dump its mineral cargo into the ocean in a controversial science experiment. The researchers will be testing a technique called ocean fertilization, in which iron is dumped into nutrient-poor waters to induce a huge blooms of phytoplankton. After the photosynthesizing plankton grows and absorbs carbon dioxide, researchers hope it will die and sink down to the seafloor still bearing that greenhouse gas in a natural form of carbon sequestration.

But the so-called LOHAFEX experiment has raised the ire of some environmentalists, who worry about unknown consequences of interfering with the marine ecosystem. Ocean fertilisation experiments have been carried out on a few occasions in the past, but became controversial in 2007 when a company called Planktos announced it would dump iron fillings [sic] off the coast of the Galapagos islands. Some environmental organisations … expressed concerns that this was tantamount to pollution and, by affecting plankton at the bottom of the food chain could have unforeseen consequences

While environmentalists from the organization ETC Group originally argued that the new experiment is illegal because it violates the UN moratorium, it now appears that the experiment won approval from the German ministry of the environment based on an international maritime convention that allows legitimate scientific research on ocean fertilization. Researchers involved in the project say the experiment will answer crucial questions regarding the procedure’s effectiveness. The new study will address, among other things, marine biology, the flow of carbonaceous particles, and biodiversity questions that have barely been analysed during previous experiments, says [researcher] Karin Lochte. “These are exactly the kind of data you need to assess whether or not large-scale ocean fertilization is justified,” she says

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Algae Could End the fuel Crisis

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Will Thurmond, chairman of research and development at the National Algae Association in America (where all but one of the major algae biodiesel firms are based), believes that pure economics will eventually choose between them: "For research purposes, growing algae in photo-bioreactors is better, because you can control all the variables. But once the research has been completed by all the companies involved and moves into large-scale production, the debate will be resolved."

But once you've got the vast amounts of green sludge, how do you go about extracting oil from pond scum? "The old method is to take algae out of a pond with a fishing net, dry it out and literally squeeze the oil out," says Thurmond. "More modern methods have required chemical solvents, but recently the University of Texas has developed a way of using ultrasonic waves to rupture the cell walls: the oil rises to the top of the container and you can skim it off the top of the cells. This is the preferred method, as it's non-polluting, but it's not yet advanced enough to be commercially viable."

Whatever the method employed, the extraction procedure can be costly and complicated, and further processing is still required before the algae can be turned into vehicle fuel. The cost of this has dropped dramatically: to make algae biodiesel in the lab 25 years ago cost $3,000 per gallon; today it is less than $20. However, in the US, petrol costs $2 per gallon and diesel $2.70 – to be competitive, algae biodiesel would need to be around the $2 mark, too. As Thurmond admits, "It's the last yard that's hard."

Yet a solution to that cost problem could be available from a familiar figure in the world of genetic engineering. The renowned American scientist Craig Venter has – with his team at Synthetic Genomics in California – developed bacteria that require only sunlight and water to grow, and secrete the required oil as a by-product of the metabolic process. Professor Venter, who was the first person to have his entire genome sequenced and hopes to become the first to create an entirely synthetic life form, says that if he can raise the funding to build a pilot plant, his bacterial oil could be pumped straight into an existing refinery.

Whichever modified micro-organism the new oil comes from, there is one significant drawback. Although they will work in cars, biofuels aren't up to the demands of the aviation industry, as they freeze too easily in the sub-zero temperatures at high altitude.

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Paul Dickerson - Algenol's New Advisor

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Algenol Biofuels, developers of DIRECT TO ETHANOL(TM), the most advanced third generation biofuels technology, today announced that Paul Dickerson, former COO of the Department of Energy's (DOE) office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and recognized expert on renewable energy and energy efficient technologies, will act as an advisor to Algenol's senior management team.

While at the DOE, Mr. Dickerson led a team of 1,000 staff and administered the EERE's $1.8 billion budget, helping to move alternative and renewable energy technologies from the nascent stages to real-world development.

Prior to joining the DOE, Mr. Dickerson served as Chief of Staff for the United States and Foreign Commercial Service at the Department of Commerce and was responsible for the day-to-day management of a worldwide network of 1,700 employees spanning 260 offices.

He is currently a Partner at the international law firm of Haynes and Boone, LLP, where he leads the firm's clean-tech practice group.

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Algae to Ethanol, the Macroalgae Route - GGASS

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Have posted an interesting presentation from Alex Harel of GGASS on the potential of macroalgae to become an important bio-ethanol feedstock. I for one feel that a lot more focus needs to be given to macroalgae than it is given now.

Let's wish GGASS all the best!

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NAA to discuss BioCentric Energy's Closed Loop Solution in Forum

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Barry Cohen from The National Algae Association inquired BioCentric Energy Holdings about Their closed loop solution.

"We would like to know if you are available to speak about the BioCentric patent pending closed-loop system at our Algae Commercialization, Research and Business Networking Forum January 29-30, 2009 in Houston, Texas."

Dennis Fisher, CEO of BioCentric, replied, "We would be available, and very much interested to introduce our inexpensive closed loop solution to your meeting... As we have previously stated, our competitive advantage is our ability to produce our algae system, computer-controlled, that adjusts itself to varying conditions for less than $20 per square meter compared to other closed loop systems ranging from $77 per square meter to over $300 per square meter which is our Patent Pending Technology."

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Center to Research Algae-Based Fuels - Stephen Mayfield

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A consortium of academic researchers is pushing to make San Diego a hub for research on algae-based fuels, a task that, if successful, could pour more jobs and funding into the area.

Stephen Mayfield, a biologist and associate dean at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, is spearheading an effort to elevate the region’s position as a leader in algae-based fuels.

He is lobbying government officials to build a multimillion-dollar facility that would combine academic research teams from Scripps’ research institute, Scripps Institution of Oceanography and UC San Diego.

“Ultimately, I think, we’d like to have a building maybe on the campus of UCSD,” he said.

His timing could prove spot on. San Diego, home to a handful of companies trying to create high-octane fuel from algae, could position itself as a major center for algal research under a new presidential administration that campaigned on renewable fuels and energy independence.

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Linc Energy, BioCleanCoal Work on Algae CO2 Sequestration from Power Plants

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This is an old news, but I wish to know whether these companies have been able to make much progress on the algae based co2 remediation.

The Nov 2007 news item says,

"Two Australian firms, Linc Energy and BioCleanCoal, have partnered together in a joint venture to sequester carbon dioxide emissions from Australian coal-fired power stations to use as fuel or fertiliser, even re-burning it to produce additional energy.

The companies will spend $1 million to build a prototype reactor in Chinchilla, which will use the carbon dioxide emissions from the power plant to grow algae, which can then be dried and turned into biodiesel at low energy costs.

Hamish Macdonald, a company director of BioCleanCoal, says that the process can easily remove 90 per cent of carbon dioxide from the plant’s emissions, with 100 per cent removal possible but unlikely due to the increased costs."

Any idea on their progress in the last one year?

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Energy Farms, Kwikpower, Biomax, Canrex - Some Less Known Algae Fuel Ventures

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Some more algae fuel companies I came across:

* Energy Farms Inc., New Mexico, part of Nanoforce Technologies Inc.
* Kwikpower
* Australian Co Biomax
* Virgin boss Richard Branson says he is keen on algae fuels
* Canrex Biofuels Ltd.

Most of the names above were discovered by me from some old posts at Oilgae. Not able to find much about any of these companies as to their current operations (include what Branson's current plans are for algae fuel).

Will be great if any of you could provide updates on these companies?

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National Algae Association Algae Commercialization, Research and Business Networking Forum

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News release

Houston, Texas
January 29-30, 2009

The National Algae Association will hold its fifth algae biofuels commercialization, research and development conference on January 29-30, 2009 in Houston. The event will start with presentations from algae producers and technology providers Sapphire Energy, BioCentric Energy, Kai BioEnergy, Guava Technologies, Rosetta Genomics, Bard LLC, REG, and AlgaeLink. The conference will also feature break-out sessions for innovations and scientific advancements in algae research and development.

The National Algae Association is the first national trade association for the algae biofuels industry in the United States. Algae is a source of biomass that can produce many types of biofuels, including biodiesel, ethanol, biocrude, jet fuel, and renewable diesel. Algae is a renewable fuel feedstock, does not affect the food channel and consumes C02. The byproduct biomass is used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, bio-plastics, and organic fertilizer. The NAA brings algae researchers and companies together to share ideas and exchange information to overcome technological hurdles.

"The prospect of producing billions of gallons of clean fuels from algae holds enormous appeal," said NAA founder Barry Cohen. "Algae will play an increasingly significant role in helping the US achieve energy security, create new green jobs, and environmentally sustainable biofuels." Massive algae production plants will be required to produce economically continuous quantities of algae biofuels for the automotive, trucking and airline industries.

"Recent breakthroughs in synthetic biology, closed-end loop photobioreactor systems, and raceway pond developments are helping to accelerate the advancement of commercialization of algae biofuels," said Will Thurmond, Chairman of R&D for the NAA and author of Algae 2020. "In this effort, the National Algae Association is uniquely dedicated in providing quarterly forums to showcase and support the advancement of these endeavors," said Thurmond.

Forums fill up fast! For more information, or to register for the event:

When: Jan. 29-30, 2009

Where: The Sheraton North, Houston, Texas

* Special room discounted rates

Registration : www.nationalalgaeassociation.com

For more information, contact 936.321.1125


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The Algae Lab in the Shipyard @ Berkeley, California - for Open Source, DIY Community

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A nice attempt here to help people by teaching them all about algae, algaculture and more.

The Algaelab team has created a community algae lab for the development of open-source, DIY-oriented algae technology

The site says, "Whether you are looking for a job in the exploding algae biofuels field, or thinking about creating your own farm, we can help you get up to speed!"

The lab these folks have created is an independent, non-profit algae laboratory for teaching and research using low-cost, widely-available materials, and we would love to teach you how!

Get to know more from here

http://algaelab.org/

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