Future power : pond scum to biodiesel; renewable fuels from algae

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Future power : pond scum to biodiesel; renewable fuels from algae

Cherry Creek News, 23 January 2007

Excerpts:

1. Solix Biofuels Inc., a startup company based in Boulder, is working with Colorado State University engineers to commercialize technology that can cheaply mass produce oil derived from algae and turn it into biodiesel

2. Solix officials plan to commercialize the technology over the next two years.

3. Solix officials estimate that widespread construction of its photo-bioreactor system could meet the demand for the U.S. consumption of diesel fuel - about 4 million barrels a day - by growing algae on less than 0.5 percent of the U.S. land area, which is otherwise unused land adjacent to power plants and ethanol plants. The plants produce excess carbon dioxide, which is necessary to turn algae into oil.

4. Colorado State and Solix officials are collaborating with New Belgium Brewing Co. to use excess carbon dioxide from the brewery’s plant to test the algae-based biodiesel process.

Personalities & organizations mentioned: Bryan Willson, director of Colorado State's Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory; Doug Henston, chief executive officer of Solix; Mark Wdowik, vice president for Technology Transfer at Colorado State University Research Foundation;
Northern Colorado Clean Energy Cluster, a clearinghouse that connects entrepreneurs and major power users with researchers and government officials, tional Renewable Energy Laboratory, Colorado State, Colorado School of Mines and the University of Colorado.

Nature gave us oil from algae; perhaps we should try Nature's way again

Oilgae - Oil & Biodiesel from Algae
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algOS - Biodiesel from Algae Open Source

About Oilgae - Oilgae - Oil & Biodiesel from Algae has a focus on biodiesel production from algae while also discussing alternative energy in general. Algae present an exciting possibility as a feedstock for biodiesel, and when you realise that oil was originally formed from algae - among other related plants - you think "Hey! Why not oil again from algae!"

The objective of Oilgae is to facilitate exploration of oil production from algae as well as exploration of other alternative energy avenues.