U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced the investment of nearly $80 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for advanced biofuels research and fueling infrastructure that will help support the development of a clean sustainable transportation
by Barry Cohen (National Algae Association) ...At the start of the oil industry, wildcatters at Spindletop took risk, worked with what they had, and developed what they needed in the field. Look at all the changes that have taken place in
by Alexis Madrigal (Wired Science) For nearly 20 years, a government laboratory built a living, respiring library of carefully collected organisms in search of something that could grow quickly while producing something precious: oil. But now that collection has largely been
by Mark Coulton (The Australian) ... Carbon neutrality may be achievable without resorting to a hefty new tax if the government employed a skerrick of the initiative and ingenuity shown by the team at Townsville's James Cook University. ... This
by Alexis Madrigal (Wired Science) For nearly 20 years, a government laboratory built a living, respiring library of carefully collected organisms in search of something that could grow quickly while producing something precious: oil. But now that collection has largely been
Australian scientists are achieving the world's best production rates of oil from algae grown in open saline ponds, taking them a step closer to creating commercial quantities of clean biofuel for the future. A joint $3.3 million project led by Murdoch
by Greg Kelton (Adelaide Now) THE U.S. parent company of uranium producer Heathgate Resources has held talks with the State Government over developing a renewable energy fuel in South Australia - from algae. Premier Mike Rann met for an hour yesterday
by Simon Grose (TCE Today) Algae, wood and sugarcane shared the honours in the bidding for funding through the Australian government’s Second generation Biofuels research and development program. Announcing matching grants totaling A$14.4m ($12.1m) across seven projects, resource minister Martin Ferguson
Cereplast, Inc., a leading manufacturer of proprietary bio-based, sustainable plastics, announced today that it expects the U.S. bio-plastics market to top $10 billion in sales by 2020. As of 2007, the U.S. bio-plastics market accounted for approximately $1 billion in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... 2009 has taught us that the excess of emissions in the skies and shortage of land on the ground may well be solved underwater, through microcrops: algaes. diatoms, cyanobacteria and microscopic flowering plants like
by Ron Putt (Auburn University) Alabama has an immediate opportunity to lead the nation in becoming self sufficient with respect to liquid fuels for transportation. Mass cultivation of micro-algae in the state, using less than 3% of our land area,
by Curt Rich (VanNess Feldman) Presentation from the Algae Biomass Summit, October 2009 reviews federal grant and loan programs, climate change legislative proposals from an algal biofuels perspective. READ MORE
by Jeremy Hsu (Space.com) NASA may concern itself largely with space exploration, but it also wants to keep Earth on a steady course in the face of rising energy costs and climate change. Now the U.S. space agency has thrown its
Dynaflow, Inc.®, a leader in R&D services and products in fluid dynamics and applied sciences, today announced that it has been awarded a Department of Energy (DOE) Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract to develop and demonstrate a
(Renewable Energy World) Solazyme Inc. will build its first integrated algae fuel refinery in Pennsylvania. The biorefinery will be built in Riverside, Pennsylvania and will be funded in part by a US $21.8 million federal grant that the company received
PetroAlgae Inc., announced today that its has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Foster Wheeler AG’s Global Engineering and Construction Group for engineering services to be performed in conjunction with PetroAlgae’s micro-crop technology, which allows for the production of dry
(Science Daily) An Arizona State University research team has developed a process that removes a key obstacle to producing lower-cost, renewable biofuels. The team has programmed a photosynthetic microbe to self-destruct, making the recovery of high-energy fats--and their biofuel byproducts--easier
PetroSun, Inc., announced that the Department of Energy has advised Gas Technology Institute of Des Plaines, Illinois that its Integrated Biorefinery application has been selected for negotiations leading to an award. The GTI team members include PetroSun, Cargill, Blue Marble
UOP LLC, a Honeywell company, announced today that its Ecofining process technology was used to convert second-generation, renewable feedstocks to green diesel fuel that will power vehicles at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Conference (UNFCCC) in Copenhagen, Denmark. UOP's
Algenol Biofuels, in partnership with The Linde Group, have agreed to collaborate in a joint project that will attempt to identify the optimum management of carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen for Algenol’s algae and photobioreactor technology. The goal is to
by Tina Casey (CleanTechnica.com) One barrier to cost-competitive biofuel from algae is about to fall, and we may have nanofarming to thank for that. The new technology uses tiny nanoparticles to absorb free fatty acids from living microalgae. It is being
by Christain Macavei (Daily Californian) UC Berkeley researchers now have a better understanding of algae, which may have implications for making biofuels more economically feasible. In a study published in the journal Nature Nov. 26, the researchers determined the role that a
Reps. Harry Teague (D-N.M.), Brian Bilbray (R-Calif.) and Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) introduced H.R. 4168 to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to expand the definition of cellulosic biofuel to include algae-based biofuel for purposes of the cellulosic biofuel producer
(MercoPress) United States corporation Bio Architecture Lab (BAL) has founded a subsidiary, BAL Chile, through which the company has already begun cultivating 100 hectares of seaweed on the island of Chiloé, with the aim of producing bio-fuel. The project, in
by Dina Fine Maron (New York Times Greenwire) Seaweed holds promise as more than an ingredient in a purifying face mask or a maki roll. So say researchers at E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., which alongside Seattle-based Bio
by Ian Talley (Wall Street Journal) Legislation under consideration on Capitol Hill, including a climate bill and renewable fuel mandate, may give the industry the financial boost it needs to jump from the research and development phase to the industrial commercial
... Unfortunately, many of the federal government’s existing policies exempt algae from receiving benefits similar to those enjoyed by other biofuels. Such oversight can be easily remedied if the government takes the following actions: 1. Financial parity – Algae should receive
by Jim Brumm (Star News) The governor’s office said that Alganomics is one of 18 small companies that will receive grants to develop and market promising green and alternative energy technologies and products. Alganomics will receive $59,500 to support its
by Cristen Conger (Discovery News MSNBC.com) Although algae is currently the most energy-dense biofuel source, the cost of producing algae oil is prohibitively expensive. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that the biofuel would cost around $8 per gallon at the
... The goals of this project were to produce biodiesel from a wide variety of feedstocks and to provide the characteristics of both the feedstock and biodiesel. The project is unique because it encompasses an extensive range of feedstocks and
by Yvonne Chan (BusinessGreen.com) Australian biofuel specialist MBD Energy is poised to unveil a new facility that it claims will be the world's largest refinery for producing algae-based biofuels and high-protein livestock feed. The Melbourne-based company plans to showcase its
(Science Daily) In the quest to make hydrogen as a clean alternative fuel source, researchers have been stymied about how to create usable hydrogen that is clean and sustainable without relying on an intensive, high-energy process that outweighs the benefits
by Anna Austin (Biomass Magazine)Valerie Reed of the U.S. DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy talked about the direction the DOE is taking to accelerate the development of algae-based biofuels at the Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology
The algae biofuels industry is comprised of many pathways to produce fuels from algae and is developing rapidly, with most companies operating in “stealth” mode. This makes measuring progress toward the promise of algae extremely difficult. Given the thousands of
... A joint $3.3 million project led by Murdoch University in Perth, Western Australia, and involving the University of Adelaide in South Australia, now leads world algae biofuel research after more than 12 months of consistent results at both universities. "It
by Katie Howell (New York Times/Greenwire) Backers of algae-based biofuels tout the simplicity of their feedstock. Sunlight and water are all that's needed to convert carbon dioxide into fuel. Now, some scientists are testing the notion that sunlight might be
by Eva Cohen (Winnepeg Free Press) The Manitoba government has looked into harvesting algae to help reduce phosphorus levels in Lake Winnipeg, but concluded it is just not feasible right now. Commercial algae harvesting, being done in other parts of
PetroAlgae Inc. announced that its operating subsidiary has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enter into an agreement to license the Company’s proprietary micro-crop technology to Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) for its future large-scale production of renewable fuels.Under
New Zealand's National Instititue of Water and Atmospheric Research's mission is to conduct leading environmental science to enable the sustainable management of natural resources for New Zealand and the planet. In order to produce biofuels cost-effectively there is a need for
(The Korea Herald) Kumho Petrochemical Co., the South Jeolla provincial government and a local biotechnology firm agreed Thursday to establish an algae bioethanol plant by 2013, officials said, according to Yonhap News. The agreement calls for Kumho to invest a
by Michael Totty (Wall Street Journal) It's a tall order: Over the next few decades, the world will need to wean itself from dependence on fossil fuels and drastically reduce greenhouse gases. Current technology will take us only so far;
Imagine filling up your car with fuel that comes from inexpensive algae that grow quickly, don’t use up freshwater supplies and can be cultivated in areas where they won’t compete with traditional food crops, such as corn or soybeans. Researchers
( Greenjobs ) ...Recently Cecelia Williams and other Sandia researchers have grown green algae in a 12-by-30-foot greenhouse using a simulated dairy effluent, the nutrient-rich liquid remaining after bacterial digestion of dairy manure. The solids from the digestion of dairy manure
(BusinessWire) Accelergy Corporation and A2BE Carbon Capture LLC today announced the formation of the Carbon Cycle Technology Alliance at the 2009 Algae Biomass Summit. The Alliance will commercialize a platform for Integrated Carbon to Liquids™ (ICTL) fuel production technologies that
(Discover) ...(A)recent series of articles from Nature News feels like a public service, as the articles investigate the scientific and economic state of affairs for four different kinds of biofuels. The first article focused on the weedy plant jatropha, which was
Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) provides a summary of the developing algae ethos at the Algae Biomass Summit in San Diego: The biotech elevator pitch usually adheres to a 'rule of 5′. The offer is invariably a product platform that "is
by Emily Waltz (Mother Jones) When Adam Freeman graduated last December from Kennesaw State University in Georgia with a degree in biochemistry, he wanted to work in only one field: pond scum. Freeman had read that entrepreneurs were squeezing out
(National Resources Defense Council 92-page report) The algae biofuels industry is comprised of many pathways to produce fuels from algae and is developing rapidly, with most companies operating in “stealth” mode. This makes measuring progress toward the promise of algae
(BBC) One of Scotland's best known whisky distilleries is taking part in a scheme to cut carbon dioxide emissions using oil-producing algae. The Glenturret Distillery in Perthshire will use the ground-breaking system to turn fumes generated by whisky production into
The College of William and Mary and its Virginia Institute of Marine Science have formed a collaborative research initiative to investigate a promising new technology to produce biofuel from the algae growing naturally in rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. The
OriginOil, Inc., announced an innovative production system using a type of algae that attaches itself to growth surfaces. The new system helps pursue clean water goals while generating algae for fuel and other valuable products in wastewater treatment plants. “Previous
by Lisa Gibson (Biomass Magazine) Researchers with China-based Ji Zhong Wei New Energy Technical Development Ltd. have discovered a way to convert biomass directly to regular gasoline and diesel, according to the company. The same international standard fuels many of
(Algenol Biofuels) In this presentation, Algenol Biofuels provides a description of it's developing Direct To Ethanol TM technology, taking algae, sunlight, salt water and CO2 to make ethanol and other bio-based products. Illustrations and diagrams generally explain the process of
... “We knew that the first company to actually come out and openly document the real productivity picture would face a tough challenge,” said Barry Cohen, executive director of the National Algae Association. “OriginOil did it and now we have
Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Massachusetts, algae biofuels have been proposed by Höweler + Yoon Architecture and Squared as an answer to the stalled Filene’s construction site at Downtown Crossing in Boston. The Eco-Pod, as designed, is a vertical algae bioreactor
by Michael Kanellos (Greentech Media) A technology for water purification and toner cartridges could cut the onerous cost of getting algae out of water. It started as a way to purify water, but the Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) believes
Representative Brian Bilbray (R-CA) and a bipartisan group of representatives introduced HR 3460, an amendment to the Clean Air Act to include algae as an eligible feedstock in the Renewable Fuel Standard (as amended by the Energy Independence and Security
by Natalia Real (FIS) Korean scientists have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Bohol governor to test the waters of Bohol for growing red algae for ethanol production. READ MORE
(Cleantech) Austrian startup says it can grow algae at three to six times higher productivity and at about 80 percent of the cost of competing systems. Vienna, Austria-based See-O-Two has developed what it says is an industrial scale system to
by Anne C. Mulkern (New York Times/Greenwire) ... It is a big bet with high stakes. Venture capitalists, including Bill Gates' financing arm, infused Sapphire Energy with a combined $100 million. Exxon Mobil Corp. this summer invested $600 million in a
by Tiffany Hsu (Los Angeles Times) Firms and scientists are racing to figure out how best to separate the oil produced in algae organisms for biofuel. The San Diego area has become a hotbed for these efforts that are drawing investors. To
by Ryan Randazzo (Arizona Republic)Arizona Public Service Co. will get $70.5 million in stimulus funds to study cutting greenhouse-gas emissions from coal power plants that contribute to global warming, the Energy Department said Tuesday. APS will use the money for a
Solazyme, Inc., the renewable oil production company and leader in algal synthetic biology, has been selected by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to research, develop, and demonstrate commercial scale production of algae-derived advanced biofuel that meets the United States
by Jeff H. Hassannia (Diversified Energy Corporation) ... Instead of forecasting the likely costs for capital and O&M for a given architecture and its reported yield, let’s assess what a project would require in order to make it commercially viable. That
(ClearSkies.com) Clean Skies News Dipka Bhambhani reports on the rise of biofuels from algae as part of the nation's energy portfolio. WATCH VIDEO
by Brian Maffly (Salt Lake Tribune) For the past several years, detergents and agricultural runoff have turned Logan's five wastewater lagoons into a phosphate-filled soup, posing a menace to sensitive wildlife habitat downstream and racking up costly clean-up bills. But nature
by Laurent Lardon, Arnaud Helias, Bruno Sialve, Jean-Philippe Steyer and Olivier Bernard (Environmental Science and Technology) This paper provides an analysis of the potential environmental impacts of biodiesel production from microalgae. High production yields of microalgae have called forth interest of
... Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc. (AECI) and Central Electric Power Cooperative (CEPC) are partnering with Lincoln University and Missouri University of Science and Technology to grow algae using the carbon produced by a coal-burning power plant. Researchers have been eyeing algae,
... (C)ultivation of microalgae may contribute decisively to tomorrow's energy supply. For energy production from microalgae, KIT scientists are developing closed photo-bioreactors and novel cell disruption methods. ... Professor Clemens Posten, directs this research activity at the KIT Institute of
The Scripps Photobiology Group has been hosting a series on the commercialization of algae, with a focus on the possible production of biofuels from algae. The purpose of this forum is to exchange information and spur collaborative conversation about the
by Michael Kanellos (Greentech Media) Five years ago it was easy to divide up companies trying to make fuel out of algae. There were only a handful in the market and all were in and around the "science experiment" phase.
Through a series of biotechnology achievements, Aurora has succeeded in optimizing its base algae strains to more than double CO2 consumption and fuel production, and has proven these results in an outdoor open system over the last several months. Using tools
A report by Greener Dawn Investment Group's research arm "aims to provide an in-depth and unbiased review of the algae industry’s market potential, current technologies and processes, from the point of view of a financial investor. Considering the fate of
by Brooke Edwards and Natasha Lindstrom (Victor Valley Daily Press) That green, slimy scum that makes swimmers and pool owners cringe may soon grow the High Desert into a hotbed for algae-based biofuel production. The algae technology can be used to
BP and Martek Biosciences Corporation announced the signing of a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) to work on the production of microbial oils for biofuels applications. The partnership combines a broad technology platform and operational capabilities to advance the development of
by Candace Lombardi (Green Tech) LiveFuels, an algae biofuel start-up, announced a pilot project to grow and harvest algae biofuels in open waters with the help of naturally occurring activities in the ecosystem. The approach is different than other attempts
Solazyme, Inc., a renewable oil production company and algal biotechnology company, was awarded a $789,697 Biosynthetic Transportation Fuel Production grant from the California Energy Commission's Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) program. ... The PIER Program Opportunity Notice (PON) announced that
(GreenAirOnline.com) The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) at the University of North Dakota has been awarded a subcontract by Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) to help produce military JP-8 jet fuel from algae. Funding for the work is coming
(Energy Current) W2 Energy Inc., has successfully completed a commercial scale algae bioreactor. The Sunfilter bioreactor will be used to sequester any CO2 byproducts from the W2 Energy waste-to-energy processes. The product can also be sold separately. Customers such as
Sustainable Green Technologies (SGT) a start-up company in Escondido, California announced today that it has discovered a highly effective and low cost way to massively increase algal oil production. Metabolic engineering research conducted at SGT over the past two years
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) All microalgae are microcrops, but not all microcrops are microalgae: a larger family of diatoms, cyanobacteria, and tiny aquatic flowering plants such as the lemna family are increasingly in the mix for biofuels commercialization. As
DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), through the Office of the Biomass Program (OBP), announces the availability of funding for establishing Consortia for two primary topic areas - Development of Algal Based Biofuels, and Development of Advanced
(NECN.com) At Blue-Spruce Farm in Vermont, algae is grown using cow manure to produce biodiesel. WATCH VIDEO
OriginOil, Inc., announced a breakthrough technology, the Dynamic Control System, which is designed to respond continuously to algae’s behavior. This invention improves energy efficiency and growth rates by ensuring the right types and amounts of light are used at all
by Mike Stark (AP, MSNBC) In December, DARPA awarded a $20 million contract to General Atomics and a $15 million contract to Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), two San Diego-based research companies. The contracts ask the companies to find a biofuel
Seambiotic, a global leader in the development and production of marine microalgae for the nutraceutical and biofuel industries, has announced that its U.S. subsidiary, Seambiotic USA, has entered into an agreement with NASA Glenn Research Center to develop an on-going
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Aquatic Energy unveiled significant progress in its pilot algae-to-energy project in the Lake Charles-Lafayette corridor of Louisiana. The company is now preparing to expand from a “couple of acre” pilot in Lake Charles, to an 30-acre
US Biofuels, Inc, a CA based company is setting to launch major green fuel production with recent gains of twelve greenhouses expanding over eight acres in size. Each greenhouse will be used for the purpose of growing algae in a
by Tom Schneider (Carlsbad Current-Argus) ... With the snipping of a ribbon, the Center of Excellence for Hazardous Materials Management moved its Algae Biofuels Project from pilot scale to the commercial demonstration level. Located on the grounds of the
by Susanne Retka Schill (CheckBiotech) Researchers at two centers in St. Louis are gearing up to launch five-year research programs on algae, backed by U.S. DOE grants. The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center received $15 million and Washington University $20 million
by Jonathan Watts (The Guardian) Chinese firm behind ambitious plan to breed microalgae in greenhouse with the potential to absorb carbon emissions ...Developed by a groundbreaking Chinese firm, ENN, the greenhouse is a bioreactor that breeds microalgae, one of the fastest
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is issuing this RFI to solicit feedback on the Draft “National Algal Biofuels Technology Roadmap” Document. This Draft Roadmap was prepared by a working group commissioned by DOE. Feedback will be incorporated into the
Emerging Markets has released Algae 2020 a 460-page study on algae biofuels markets, strategies and the commercialization outlook. The Algae 2020 study observes algal biomass can produce multiple fuels from a single feedstock, including biodiesel ethanol, biocrude, renewable diesel, renewable
Biofuels Digest published a special report on algae biofuels and CO2 sources, including an analysis of power plant fuel gas. "In the world of biofuels, algae is under the spotlight" writes Biofuels Digest special correspondent Sam Rushing in a report on
Biofuels Digest summarizes conversations from its LinkedIn Group about development of Chilean coastal algae and biodiesel developments in other South American countries. READ MORE
by Susan Wilson. Algae has been cultivated primarily as a source of biofuel, but Renewed World Energies (RWE) is taking it one step further. The company wants to clean up power plant and industrial plant emissions using algae and then
Industrial-scale production of bioenergy from algae, or seaweeds, can be expected in 10 to 15 years, helping Europe to reach its green energy targets, the top official at a newly created bioenergy body said on Wednesday. ... Research into algae-made
Every spring, the US Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Biomass Program hosts a FREE 2-day conference and expo exploring biomass as an energy source. The Biomass Program works with industry, academia and national laboratory partners
According to Biofuels Digest, in Florida, PetroAlgae said that it believes it is now the closest company to commercialization of micro crops as a biofuel will complete its microcrop demonstration farm in Florida this year and will commence booking revenues
GreenFuel Technologies, one of the first companies to enter the algae biofuels business, is shutting down after running out of money. Investor Duncan McIntyre of Polaris Venture Partners on Wednesday confirmed GreenFuel Technologies' demise, saying that the company is a
Genifuel has teamed up with Pacific Northwest National Labs to make natural gas out of algae. Why? It's cheaper and easier than producing liquid fuel. Why crush algae when you can incinerate it? That's one way to describe a shift
...At The University of Texas at Austin, the scope of the project includes identifying the best strains of algae for producing oil from sites in Texas and from the university's algal culture collection, harvesting the algal strains, breaking the algal
Green Plains Renewable Energy, Inc., and BioProcessAlgae LLC have executed a grant award agreement with the Iowa Office of Energy Independence for a $2.1 million research and development grant from the Iowa Power Fund to build an algae pilot project
A technological breakthrough that dramatically reduces the cost of removing water from algae – making algae an economically feasible source of fuel was announced by Algae Venture Systems, an Ohio company. Algae VS process slashes the cost of harvesting, dewatering and
San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders and others said the San Diego region, now home to more than 500 biotechnology companies, could become a major center for renewable energy development, as scientists from UC San Diego, The Scripps Research Institute and
Researchers funded by a consortium of European governments and institutions to investigate algae strains most optimal for remote rural biofuel production. BioMara, a Scottish-Irish research project, has secured €6 million ($8.1m) to produce biofuel from algae. Research is to be led
Solazyme's unique microbial conversion technology process allows algae to produce oil in standard industrial facilities quickly, efficiently and at large scale. These oils are tailored not only for advanced biofuel production, but also as replacements for fossil petroleum and plant
Photosynthesis produces the food that we eat and the oxygen that we breathe ― could it also help satisfy our future energy needs by producing clean-burning hydrogen? Researchers studying a hydrogen-producing, single-celled green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, have unmasked a previously
Univenture, Inc. and AlgaeVenture Systems, announced the details of a disruptive solid liquid separation and dewatering technology specifically designed for microalgae which reduces the cost barrier for harvesting, dewatering, and drying by over 99.75%. Prototype and laboratory testing has successfully
California Energy Commission awards $100k grant to turn algae blooms in the Salton Sea into methane, hydrogen, and synthetic gasses. READ MORE
On January 7, 2009, Continental Airlines flew a successful demonstration out of Houston in partnership with Boeing, GE Aviation/CFM International, and Honeywell’s UOP. One of the Boeing 737’s two engines was powered with standard A1 aviation fuel. The other ran
(New Energy and Fuel) A new bacterium, a cyanobacterium that is energized by sunlight and excretes the sugars glucose and sucrose with some cellulose has been created by Dr. R. Malcolm Brown and Dr. David Nobles at the University of Texas
(Science News) Until 1977, the known classes of life included eukaryotes and bacteria. When microbiologist Carl Woese announced the discovery of a third class, most academics scoffed. Yet today, barely 30 years later, archaea are known to be at least
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