ABS11 Salt Lake City Highlights

(Algae Industry Magazine) The Algae Biomass Summit (ABS) has transitioned from algae biofuels to higher value algae bioproducts. Most of the excitement in the 2017 version focused on nutrition for plants, animals and people, and the critical need for nutrient cycling. Algae’s role in health and nutrition was emphasized in several breakout presentations and with the opening plenary session.

Last year’s Algae Biomass Summit 10 in Phoenix included a half-day pre-conference workshop on water remediation where John Benemann and Tryg Lundquist of MicroBio Engineering were the stars. This was not the first starring role for John Benemann. The workshop ignited an explosion of interest that resulted in 10+ presentations on nutrient cycling at ABS 11. The MicroBio Engineering team was very active with many interesting presentations on innovations in wastewater remediation, energy savings by avoiding mixing algae cultures at night, nutrient recovery and nutrient cycling.

Mark Edwards spoke on the looming phosphorus crisis and the opportunities it presents for cycling CO2, N, P, K, other nutrients and heavy metals. Mark predicts that in 20 years, experts will look back and say the largest contribution algae has made to society is the ability to cycle CO₂ and other nutrients by harnessing nature’s incredible power of photosynthesis. Mark believes algae can help industrial farmers by saving up to half of their annual investment in feed and fertilizer with nutrient cycling. Nutrient cycling into algae biofertilizer could cut soil erosion by 50% and nutrient pollution to waterways and ecosystems by 80%. In addition, algae biofertilizer can restore soil organics, bioavailable nutrients, moisture retention and fertility. In a world where half the farmable land has been worn out an abandoned in the last 50 years, restoring soil fertility affordably amounts to a miracle for farmers and hungry consumers.

Rob Teegarden described his Orlando Utilities Commission project in Florida to monetize carbon, nitrogen and other nutrients from waste streams. Rob shared some incredible pictures of massive algae blooms that clog waterways. He explained the planned strategies to shift the waste stream to a profit center. The Florida project, that includes MicroBio Engineering and ASU AzCATI is exploring wastewater bioremediation and bioregeneration for bioproducts. READ MORE