by Gemma Handy (BBC) ... Now, a pioneering group of Caribbean scientists and environmentalists hope to turn the tide on the problem by transforming the troublesome algae into a lucrative biofuel. ... They recently launched one of the world’s first vehicles powered by
Seaweed/Macroalgae
Back TO HOMEU.S. Department of Energy Announces $20.2 Million in Projects to Advance Development of Mixed Algae for Biofuels and Bioproducts
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) today announced $20.2 million in funding for 10 university and industry projects to advance mixed algae development for low-carbon biofuels and bioproducts. Located
November 15, 2024 Read Full Article
Minister Reveals Plan to Develop Seaweed-Based Biofuel for Jets
(Antara) Investment and Downstreaming Minister Rosan Roeslani revealed that the government plans to bolster seaweed downstreaming by developing the commodity into biofuel for aeroplanes. "We are coordinating with the marine and fisheries minister (Sakti Wahyu Trenggono) for the process. We have the
November 04, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Topsoe SAF technology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This is a presentation given by Milica Folić of Topsoe at the ABLC Next conference in 2024, focusing on the company’s perspective on the development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by 2025. The presentation highlights Topsoe’s
October 30, 2024 Read Full Article
India Has Potential to Produce 8-10 mn Tonnes of Sustainable Aviation Fuel by 2040: Report
(PSU Watch/PTI) According to a report by Deloitte India, India has the potential to produce 8-10 million tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by 2040 -- India has the potential to produce 8-10 million tonnes of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) by 2040,
October 09, 2024 Read Full Article
Getting Into the (Sea)Weeds: Exploring Algae Storage for Biofuel Conversion
by Lynn Wendt (Idaho National Laboratory/U.S. Department of Energy) ... Recently, ocean conditions have been causing this seaweed, known as sargassum, to flourish. The so-called Great Atlantic Sargassum belt stretches from the west coast of Africa to the Caribbean Sea. When
August 27, 2024 Read Full Article
Ethanol-Blended Petrol Sold by Indian Firms Crossed 13 pc Mark in 2023-24: Minister
(Daijiworld/IANS) During the current supply year (2023-24), the blending of ethanol (alcohol) with petrol has already crossed 13 per cent compared to the corresponding figure of 12.06 per cent in 2023-24, when the blending of ethanol with petrol increased to more
August 08, 2024 Read Full Article
Biofuels Can Power the Biggest Ships: Five Things to Know about Expanding Their Use
by Zia Abdullah (U.S. Department of Energy) ... Propelling massive ships around the world requires lots of energy created by burning thousands of gallons of fuel. The industry uses an estimated 2.5 billion barrels of fuel every year—primarily heavy fuel oil made from
August 08, 2024 Read Full Article
Advancing Circular Bioeconomy with Biomass Feedstocks
(Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research) Teams of researchers working to develop the science to create energy, animal feed, and other essential products from sustainable materials have been selected to join the Virtual Institute on Feedstocks of the Future (VIFF). The institute is
July 26, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Marine BioEnergy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Giant Kelp is one of the fastest growing producers of biomass. Giant kelp does not grow naturally in the open ocean because kelp needs key nutrients that are available in deep ocean water or near
May 14, 2024 Read Full Article
Indonesia to Grow 2 Million Hectares of Sugarcane for Bio-ethanol Fuel Development
(Vietnam +) The Indonesian government is implementing preferential policies to develop bio-ethanol fuel in the future, reduce dependence on fossil fuels and protect the environment. Speaking at the "Jakarta Future Forum: Blue Horizon, Green Growth", Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment
May 13, 2024 Read Full Article
Algae: King Of Renewable Biofuels Or Fad Gone By?
by Grace Wu (Environmental Magazine) In recent years, algae has emerged as a potential renewable and less pollutive energy resource. Some species have high levels of fat, carbohydrates and proteins that can produce up to 30 times more energy than other
May 02, 2024 Read Full Article
Earth Day Spotlight: BETO Technology Manager Focuses Work on Agricultural Sustainability, Environmental, and Equity Justice Impacts
(U.S. Department of Energy) ... BETO Technology Manager for Renewable Carbon Resources (RCR), Dr. Chenlin Li, is a DOE innovator supercharging the clean energy revolution with a commitment to stewardship of the planet’s natural resources. BETO’s RCR Program focuses on facilitating availability, reducing
April 22, 2024 Read Full Article
Decarbonizing the Shipping Industry
by Wily Salim (LEC Partners/Biofuels Digest) ... Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO), a more dense and more viscous liquid than diesel, is the current dominant fuel used in the marine shipping industry. This is because HFO is relatively affordable, has high energy density,
April 22, 2024 Read Full Article
The Eco-Friendly Fuel of the Future
(Mazda) A carbon-negative crop that can contribute to the mitigation of climate change, algae are also a viable source of biofuel. Working with Hiroshima University, Mazda is making significant inroads into its future use. Seaweed is synonymous with Japanese cuisine and has
April 10, 2024 Read Full Article
DOE Announces $18.8 Million to Advance Mixed Algae Development for Low-Carbon Biofuels and Bioproducts DEADLINE May 10, 2024
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) announced the MACRO: Mixed Algae Conversion Research Opportunity funding opportunity announcement (FOA). The FOA will award up to $18.8 million to address research and
April 10, 2024 Read Full Article
2023 Billion-Ton Report
(U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy KDF) The U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technology Office's (BETO's) 2023 Billion-Ton Report (BT23) is an assessment of renewable carbon resources potentially available in the United States. BT23 explores these resources in terms of quantity, price,
April 04, 2024 Read Full Article
2023 Billion-Ton Report: An Assessment of U.S. Renewable Carbon Resources
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technology Office's (BETO) 2023 Billion-Ton Report (BT23) is the 4th in a series of assessments of potential biomass resources available in the United States. BT23 explores these resources in
March 19, 2024 Read Full Article
Seagriculture USA --- September 11-12, 2024 --- Ketchikan, Alaska
Alaska's suitability for seaweed cultivation lies in its clean, cold, and nutrient-rich coastal waters, along with long daylight hours during the summer, making it an ideal environment for seaweed growth. Additionally, its low population density and expertise in aquaculture further
March 06, 2024 Read Full Article
Are First-Generation Biofuels Sustainable?
(World Bio Market Insights) The sustainability of first-generation biofuels have attracted controversy, with questions around their true emissions savings and their impacts on other environmental metrics like water pollution and water consumption. We look at recent scientific evidence on whether and how
February 14, 2024 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Issues Notice of Intent to Fund Mixed Algae and Wet Waste Feedstocks R&D for Biofuels and Bioproducts
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) today announced their intent to issue funding to support research and development (R&D) projects for converting algae and other wet waste feedstocks to low-carbon
February 13, 2024 Read Full Article
Funding Notice: Department of Energy Announces $29 Million to Drive Feedstock Innovation for Clean Energy Production DEADLINE March 14, 2024
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced $29 million in funding to drive research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) of low-carbon-intensity, purpose-grown energy crops critical to accelerating a clean energy economy. The Regional Resource Hubs for Purpose-Grown Energy Crops funding
February 08, 2024 Read Full Article
DOE Issues Notice of Intent to Advance Low Carbon Feedstocks for Clean Energy Technologies
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office announced its notice of intent (NOI) to issue a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) that will drive the research and development (R&D) of low-carbon, purpose-grown energy crops leading to the deployment
December 18, 2023 Read Full Article
AFRY Engineering Partner in Biorefinery Project Turning Harmful Seaweed into Valuable Products
(AFRY) Origin by Ocean and AFRY have entered a collaborative engineering collaboration to plan an industrial-scale biorefinery for processing bio-based seaweed products in Finland. The conceptual study phases aim to define production concepts and the steps required to construct a biorefinery.
November 21, 2023 Read Full Article
Low Carbon Fuels 2040: The Emerging Markets
(Biofuels Digest/Nuu Media) Low Carbon Fuels 2040: The Emerging Markets provides detailed case studies, updates and analysis of the key producers and developers participating in Renewable Diesel projects and Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) projects in the USA, Canada, Europe, Asia, and in South
November 07, 2023 Read Full Article
Belize to Launch Project to Make Biofuel from Seaweed Clogging Caribbean Coasts
by Sarah Morland (Reuters) Belize is developing a pilot project to convert the masses of foul-smelling sargassum seaweed swamping its pristine beaches into biofuel, its prime minister said in a statement published by regional Caribbean bloc CARICOM on Tuesday. Many Caribbean countries
October 06, 2023 Read Full Article
NREL Highlights Sustainable Aviation Partnerships on National Aviation Day 2023
(Bioenergy International) August 19 marks the birthday of Orville Wright, an American inventor credited for flying the world’s first successful motor-operated airplane in 1903. Marking the occasion on National Aviation Day 2023, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) celebrates the partnerships
August 22, 2023 Read Full Article
Researchers Are Using Beer Wastewater to Develop Biofuels
by Chloe Nordquist (WCPO) ... Plastic, cow poop, beer wastewater — you name it, and researchers are working with it to create alternative biofuel products. ... Researchers at the University of San Diego in California are developing an unlikely mixture to help power the future. “In
July 27, 2023 Read Full Article
Algae Are Versatile Organisms. Meet Three NREL Scientists Working to Unlock Their Full Energy Potential
byZia Abdullah (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Algae turn sunlight and carbon dioxide into biochemical energy. These researchers use genetic engineering, analysis, and material science to turn that energy into opportunity. Food, fertilizer, fuel, pollutant filter —the uses for algae are as
June 08, 2023 Read Full Article
Threat to Whales Complicates US Research into Seaweed for Biofuel
by Gloria Dickie (Reuters) U.S. Department of Energy has invested $55 million in seaweed biofuel research; Whale biologists worry kelp growing gear could entangle critically endangered North Atlantic right whales; Seaweed farms test out stiffer, whale-friendly gear -- ... Now, the
June 07, 2023 Read Full Article
Untapped Opportunities in Biofuels
by Editorial Board (Manila Times) Biofuels, or fuels derived from organic sources, are increasingly being seen as an easy solution to meeting electricity needs in a more sustainable way, as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions from vehicle fuel and import
May 22, 2023 Read Full Article
AlgaePrize Competition Technology Innovation: Developing the Next Generation of Bioenergy Professionals
(U.S. Department of Energy) The 2022-2023 AlgaePrize competition, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and supported by the Algae Foundation and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, challenges students to become the next generation of
April 10, 2023 Read Full Article
PSV Body Ready to Take up New Biofuel Option
by Emmanual Joseph (Barbados Today) Operators of privately-owned public service vehicles (PSVs) are gearing up to cash in on a soon-to-be-launched biofuel option that could cut fuel prices in half. Chairman of the Alliance Owners of Public Transport (AOPT) Roy Raphael said
April 03, 2023 Read Full Article
How an Aquatic Organism Could Be Key to Net-Zero Aviation
by Camelia Sadeghzadeh (BBC/4:08 Productions) Aviation currently leaves a major footprint on the world's climate, producing almost 2.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Giant kelp, the fastest growing seaweed in the world, is a highly promising source for making sustainable biofuels.
March 29, 2023 Read Full Article
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS 2023 Algae Biomass Summit — October 9-11, 2023 — Madison, WI DEADLINE: Extended to May 5, 2023
The annual Algae Biomass Summit is the largest gathering of algae and seaweed professionals. Join the Summit to connect with technology and business leaders and discover the latest: • Research advances and technology breakthroughs • New products and services •
February 21, 2023 Read Full Article
The Algae Foundation Offers Three Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)
(Algae Foundation) The Algae Foundation is pleased to announce the publication of it’s third Massive Open Online Course. Algal MOOC #3, Introduction to Seaweeds. Algal MOOC #3 is the third of five courses developed by the Algae Foundation and Scripps Institution of
February 03, 2023 Read Full Article
The Caribbean Is Swimming in Seaweed. Scientists Aim to Turn It into Jet Fuel and Batteries
by Erik F. Ringle (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Backed by U.S. Department of Energy Funding, New R&D Could Help Seed a Uniquely Caribbean Bioeconomy -- ... Kruger (National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) researcher Jacob Kruger) may be unable to eliminate the
December 19, 2022 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Genifuel
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Genifuel Corporation produces equipment to convert wet organic wastes into renewable fuels and other valuable byproducts. The wet waste material is completely eliminated. The Genifuel process has been tested with over 100 materials, including wastewater
December 15, 2022 Read Full Article
Giant Seaweed Farm in the Middle of the Ocean Aims to Be a Global Carbon Sink
by Isabella O'Malley (The Weather Network) ... One concept from Seafields Solutions looks to utilize some unlikely real estate by developing a giant seaweed farm in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean capable of capturing a gigatonne of carbon dioxide annually. This
December 07, 2022 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to Clariant Cellulosic Ethanol Technology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Chemicals, catalysis, additives.Clariant shared how they are working on advancing biofuels globally and here offers extensive detail on their sunliquid technology to decarbonize transportation, now operating at commercial scale in Romania. A fully integrated and
December 02, 2022 Read Full Article
Some Economics of Algae and Duckweed
by Timothy Taylor (Conversable Economist) As the world population rises toward 10 billion, there are hard questions of how to feed everyone, while protecting the environment, and while also having a generally rising standard of living. No single answer is
November 17, 2022 Read Full Article
24th International Seaweed Symposium --- February 19-24, 2023 --- Hobart, Tasmania, Australia and ONLINE
Australia has a proud tradition of phycological research with a very diverse algal flora. Tasmania is a global hotspot for seaweed diversity with >750 named species with many endemic species. In Tasmania we have a flourishing bioactives industry and rapidly
October 31, 2022 Read Full Article
Methods and Techniques for CO2 Capture
by Marilyn J. Bruno (Aequor/Carbon Capture Magazine) Algae is considered a prized renewable feedstock for harvesting, drying, and conversion into biofuels and biobased coproducts that can replace thousands of tons of petrochemicals and fossil fuels while efficiently capturing carbon. When comparing
October 28, 2022 Read Full Article
$2.25M Awarded to Develop Sustainable Energy Products from Waste Streams
by Sam Jones (North Carolina State University CALS News) Researchers will create sustainable aviation fuel and graphite from a blend of wood waste and seaweed. -- A team of researchers in NC State’s College of Natural Resources and College of Agriculture and
October 04, 2022 Read Full Article
Michoacán Biogas Firm Turns to Sargassum as New Source
(Bioenergy Insight) A Michoacán company that is already using the nopal, or prickly pear cactus, to produce biogas is now planning to do the same with sargassum, a genus of seaweed that washes up on Caribbean coast beaches in large
September 13, 2022 Read Full Article
Algae and Seaweed in the Inflation Reduction Act
(Algae Biomass Organization) The Inflation Reduction Act that was passed by Congress and Signed by President Biden last month has been hailed as a milestone in climate progress for the United States, especially for the aid that the new legislation
September 06, 2022 Read Full Article
From Worm Composting to Biofuels, the Caribbean Seeks Solutions to Seaweed Influx
by Alison Kentish (Interpress Service News Agency) The increasingly severe invasion of seaweed is impacting tourism, health, livelihoods, and the economy of Caribbean countries, which are hoping for a mix of solutions to the stubborn problem. ... The United Nations Environment
September 02, 2022 Read Full Article
2021 Project Peer Review Report
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) hosted its virtual 2021 Project Peer Review on March 8‒12, 15‒16, and 22‒26, 2021. During the event, 271 projects in BETO’s research portfolio were presented, representing a total
August 29, 2022 Read Full Article
Renewable Energy Innovation Boosted by £37 Million Government Funding across the UK
(UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and The Rt Hon Greg Hands MP) £32 million government funding to increase UK production of sustainable biomass, which can be used as a renewable energy source; further £5 million to support
August 08, 2022 Read Full Article
Quantifying Baseline Costs and Cataloging Potential Optimization Strategies for Kelp Aquaculture Carbon Dioxide Removal
by Struan Coleman , Tobias Dewhurst, David W. Fredriksson, Adam T. St. Gelais, Kelly L. Cole, Michael MacNicoll, Eric Laufer, and Damian C. Brady (School of Marine Sciences, University of Maine) To keep global surface warming below 1.5 °C by
July 26, 2022 Read Full Article
Seagriculture Conference USA 2022 --- September 7-8, 2022 --- Portland, ME
The Seagriculture Conference USA 2022 gathers top speakers, who will share their know-how within seaweed for feed, food, offshore cultivation, biorefinery of seaweed and much more. The two-day program will go into the many different applications of seaweed that exist now
June 02, 2022 Read Full Article
Can Marine Carbon Sequestration Make a Difference?: The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to SNAME
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Yes, biological ocean carbon sequestration could help prevent catastrophic climate change, according to Christopher Barry from SNAME (Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers). How? What are the physical and biological options? What are the
June 02, 2022 Read Full Article
Umaro Is Turning Ocean-Farmed Seaweed into Imitation Bacon
by Brian Heater (Tech Crunch/Yahoo!) Don’t call it a pivot, exactly -- but it’s a fascinating journey, nonetheless. Umaro Foods, which is set to release a seaweed-based bacon replacement, entered the world as Trophic. The firm, which is now technically a
May 03, 2022 Read Full Article
WORLD – a BONUS 5-letter Word as We Reflect on EARTH MONTH.
Sustainable, renewable FUELS are key to achieving the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development GOALS to transform our WORLD. Food, feed and fuel co-products OFTEN result from sustainable, renewable fuel production; and using climate SMART agricultural practices to produce feedstock WHILE
May 01, 2022 Read Full Article
Competitive Edge: Algae for Future
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) On this Earth Day, we highlight a very green organization – literally green – Algae for Future. This Portugal-based biotech company has the world’s largest algae cascade raceway and is designing, building, and operating commercial-scale microalgae
April 22, 2022 Read Full Article
Seaweed Farming Has Vast Potential (But Good Luck Getting a Permit)
by Alex Brown (PEW Stateline) ... The state’s permitting process involves nine different agencies, and the paperwork is so burdensome and time-consuming that few people bother. “There's a lot of people who are interested in seaweed farming, take a look at that
March 31, 2022 Read Full Article
Could Algae Be the Answer to Aviation's Big Carbon Problem?
by Jacob Dykes (Geographical) ... Hydrogen, in both its liquid and gaseous forms, is light and powerful. If the supply chain can be made greener and cheaper, it’s seen by some as the long-term solution to decarbonising aviation. But others point
March 09, 2022 Read Full Article
Working Group on Research for Farming of Seaweed And Seagrass --- March 8, 22, 29 and April 5, 2022 --- ONLINE
(Center for Seafood Solutions at Bigelow Laboratory) Discuss topics relating to seagrass and seaweed research in your region. About this event Facilitated by USDA’s Agricultural Research Service and the Center for Seafood Solutions at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, this working group
February 17, 2022 Read Full Article
Renewable Diesel & Sustainable Aviation Fuels 2030, Vol 2
by Will Thurmond (Emerging Markets) Renewable Diesel & Sustainable Aviation Fuels 2030, Vol 2. (249 pages, September 2021) provides a detailed analysis and outlook for low-carbon feedstock availability, and a feasibility assessment for technology commercialization pathways in sustainable aviation fuels
February 10, 2022 Read Full Article
And the Winners Are…: The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to SHV Energy’s Innovation Challenge
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) 5 million tons of CO2 reduction by 2025 and 100% of their energy products to be from renewable sources in 2040 are part of SHV Energy’s ambitions. How does renewable propane and bioLPG fit in?
February 04, 2022 Read Full Article
AlgaePrize Competition DEADLINE: March 2, 2022
(U.S. Department of Energy)Launched in January 2022, the AlgaePrize is a new competition from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) that encourages students to pursue innovative ideas for the development, design,
January 17, 2022 Read Full Article
The Bioeconomy Jump to Light Speed: 10 Storylines Shaking the World: Exxon, J-M, KLM, UGI, Amyris, Tesla, Origin, More
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In recent days, we’ve had 10 stories that shook the world. The players are so big, the technologies so ambitious, the scale so huge and the risks in some cases so high — we’ve grouped them
January 12, 2022 Read Full Article
£26m Funding to Support UK Biomass Projects
(Bioenergy Insight) Innovative biomass projects across the UK can now bid for a share of £26 million (€30.4 million) in government funding. Biomass, which is backed by the independent Climate Change Committee, will be an important part of the UK’s
January 06, 2022 Read Full Article
Light-Bending Wood Pulp, Salt Building Material, Seaweed Bioplastics and More: The Digest’s Top 8 Innovations for the Week of November 18th
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Lightbending was discovered by Avatar Shiron when a Firebender let his Yang overpower his Yin, then attempted to Generate Lightning which resulted in a white light, or so the Avatar story goes. But in the
November 17, 2021 Read Full Article
Closing the Gap in Renewable Energy – the Next 80%?
by Sergey Nuzhdin, Kristen Davis, Meredith Brooks, Ann Carpenter, Pierre Wensel, and Cindy Wilcox, (Cluster for Sustainable Seaweed Solutions (CS3)/Biofuels Digest) .. (A) similar marine “Blue Revolution” is the potential key to meet global demand for biofuel, feed, and food security
November 10, 2021 Read Full Article
Disrupting Tropical Seaweed Farming with Offshore Submersible Cages
by Steven Hermans (Phyconomy) Former CEO of Catalina Sea Ranch Phil Cruver is developing a submersible cage system to take tropical seaweed farming offshore and into a new era. In addition to providing higher yields, the cages should also protect
October 10, 2021 Read Full Article
£4 Million Funding to Boost UK Biomass Production
(U.K. Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and Lord Callanan) 24 projects receive government funding of up to £200,000 to increase UK production of biomass that can be used as sources of green energy. -- 24 projects will receive
August 27, 2021 Read Full Article
Renewable Diesel & Sustainable Aviation Fuels 2030, Vol 2
(Emerging Markets Online) New study! Renewable Diesel & Sustainable Aviation Fuels 2030, Vol 2. (249 pages, August 2021) focuses on low-carbon feedstock availability, technology pathways for low carbon renewable diesel, and sustainable aviation production. Renewable Diesel & Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) 2030 covers
August 26, 2021 Read Full Article
Waste to Energy: Biofuel from Kelp Harvesting and Fish
by Kelsey Adkisson (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory/Newswise) Possibility of cheaper, greener fuel for remote, coastal Alaska communities -- Kelp is plentiful in remote, coastal Alaska. Fuel is not. And it’s expensive. Many isolated communities rely on diesel generators for energy because they
August 03, 2021 Read Full Article
A ‘Sea Tractor’ Harvests and Replants Carbon-Capturing Seaweed at This Floating Farm Seaweed Farming Could Be a Potent Weapon in the Fight against Climate Change. But Can It scale?
by Adele Peters (Fast Company) In a series of floating seaweed farms off the coast of Bali, Indonesia, a catamaran travels back and forth through lines of dangling red algae. Custom technology on board automatically harvests and replants the seaweed,
August 02, 2021 Read Full Article
A ‘Sea Tractor’ Harvests and Replants Carbon-Capturing Seaweed at This Floating Farm
by Adele Peters (Fast Company) Seaweed farming could be a potent weapon in the fight against climate change. But can it scale? -- In a series of floating seaweed farms off the coast of Bali, Indonesia, a catamaran travels back
July 14, 2021 Read Full Article
Pretreating Nuisance Green Algae with Lye, Urea Increases Bacterial Production of Biogas
(American Institute of Physics/Phys.Org) For more than 60 years, algae have been studied as a potential feedstock for biofuel production, but the cellulose in their cell wall makes it hard to access the critical molecules inside and convert them to biogas. In
July 01, 2021 Read Full Article
Technical Standards Focus Group Seeks Industry Input and Guidance
by Lieve Laurens (Algae Biomass Organization) The second annual Technical Standards Focus Group convened in early June 2021 to revisit some of the technical considerations and priorities for guidance development that were highlighted after the inaugural working group meeting in March
June 30, 2021 Read Full Article
MBL Begins First Test of Tropical Seaweed Farming for Biofuels Production
by Diana Kenney (University of Chicago Marine Biological Laboratory) A team of researchers led by Loretta Roberson, associate scientist at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, has installed the first seaweed farm in Puerto Rico and U.S. tropical waters. The research array
June 01, 2021 Read Full Article
Puerto Rico Testing Seaweed Farm for Biofuels
(Algae Planet) A team of researchers led by Loretta Roberson of the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Mass, has installed the first seaweed farm in Puerto Rico and U.S. tropical waters. The research array furthers the design and development of a system for offshore
May 21, 2021 Read Full Article
Transitioning to a Sustainable Bioeconomy with Algae Biofuels and Biomaterials – Policy Directions for 2021 and Beyond
(Algae Biomass Organization) ... Algae, encompassing photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic aquatic organisms including microalgae and seaweeds (macroalgae), create a highly versatile and tunable platform for the development of fuels and products. In most cases, large scale algae production can be done
April 01, 2021 Read Full Article
Looking Back on 2020, Algae Thrived.
(Algae Biomass Organization) ... Our collective effort has resulted in record-breaking policy support, including: $70 million for algae industry research, development, and demonstration in 2020 Congressional appropriations for DOE’s Bioenergy Technology Office, Office of Fossil Energy, and Office of Science. $110 million
January 04, 2021 Read Full Article
UWM Scientist Receives Grant to Study Giant Kelp as a Biofuel
by Tom Luljak (WUWM) Giant kelp is usually found thousands of miles from Milwaukee. It’s known for being an incredibly fast-growing seaweed in the Pacific Ocean. But recently, scientists have learned that the kelp could be a huge source for
December 18, 2020 Read Full Article
How Natural Gas Utilities Are Developing the RNG Market in a Decarbonizing World—Webinar Review
by Hannah DelSordo* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The December 15th webinar discussed how natural gas utilities are developing the renewable natural gas (RNG) market in a decarbonizing world. This event featured speaker Philip Sheehy, the technical director of transportation and energy
December 17, 2020 Read Full Article
MOL and euglena Co. Conduct Sea Trial of MOL Group Tugboat Using euglena Biodiesel Fuel for the First time in Port of Nagoya
(Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd.) Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President & CEO: Junichiro Ikeda) and euglena Co., Ltd. (Euglena; President: Mitsuru Izumo; Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo) today announced a successful sea trial in the Port of Nagoya of the MOL Group-operated
December 15, 2020 Read Full Article
Researchers Aim to 'Upcycle' Nutrient Waste on Farms Using Duckweed
by Tim Schley (Penn State News) New approach to nutrient management could make money for farmers and land managers; Best management practices for reducing runoff and other nutrient losses in agriculture have been difficult to implement, according to Penn State
December 03, 2020 Read Full Article
Is Seaweed the Future of Fuel?
by Rebecca Pool (Engineering and Technology) A growing band of scientists and engineers wants to feed and fuel the world with seaweed. --... The last decade has seen a surge in seaweed aquaculture, driven by a rising interest in using
October 31, 2020 Read Full Article
Communicating the Bioeconomy through Maps
(Teagasc) What is the bioeconomy? Is it relevant to me, my sector, my business, the place where I live or my farm? What is unique about it? How does Ireland compare relative to other European countries? And how can I get
October 20, 2020 Read Full Article
The Great Success of the Virtual 2020 Algae Biomass Summit
(Algae Biomass Organization) The virtual Algae Biomass Summit concluded last week, and the most significant takeaway was that the new online format provided a more dynamic collaboration than ever before, and with larger group of participants spread across the globe. Speakers, poster presenters,
October 08, 2020 Read Full Article
Algae Biomass Production for the Bioeconomy
(EU Science Hub) The latest brief prepared by the JRC for the European Commission’s Knowledge Centre for Bioeconomy (KCB) informs about algae biomass production in the EU and globally, and maps algae production units in Europe. It reports increasing production
July 30, 2020 Read Full Article
IBioIC Launches Bid to Increase Industrial Biotech Businesses by 100 in Three Years
(Insider.co.uk) Innovation body's Bioeconomy Cluster Builder aims to help firms unlock £8 million funding -- ... "We want to encourage companies, start-ups and spin-outs to look at value chains and other opportunities for the production of renewable biological resources, and their
July 24, 2020 Read Full Article
Belgian Wind Farm to Become ‘World’s First’ to Grow Seaweed between Wind Turbines
(EnergyMarketPrice.com) Seaweed can be used as a low carbon foodstuff or as a sustainable biomass fuel -- A Belgian wind farm on the North Sea claims it will become the first in the world to grow seaweed between its wind turbines. The
July 24, 2020 Read Full Article
Policy and Investment Failures Doomed the Biofuel Revolution
by Todd Woody (Bloomberg Green) To reignite the industry, biofuels need the type of government incentives that allowed solar and wind companies to flourish, analysts say. -- ... Technology from Honeywell’s subsidiary UOP had refined the camelina into renewable jet fuel,
July 09, 2020 Read Full Article
Amazon Announces $2 Billion Climate Pledge Fund to Invest in Companies Building Products, Services, and Technologies to Decarbonize the Economy and Protect the Planet
(Amazon) Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) today announced The Climate Pledge Fund to support the development of sustainable technologies and services that will enable Amazon and other companies to meet The Climate Pledge—a commitment to be net zero carbon by 2040. This dedicated venture investment program—with an initial $2 billion in
June 24, 2020 Read Full Article
Who’s Afraid of the Big, Bad Pandemic? How New Technologies Add Resilience to Our Economy and 7 Wolfpack Experts Analyze the Options
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... A thread of hope appeared this week from the bioeconomy’s Wolfpack, seven due diligence experts hungry for value — Paul Bryan, Ron Cascone, David Dodds, Michele Rubino, Joel Stone and Steve Weiss. Let’s see how they
June 09, 2020 Read Full Article
Harvested Seaweed to Help Industries
(Barbados Advocate) Sargassum seaweed has been a scourge in the eyes of many Barbadians, but Barbados National Oil Company Limited (BNOCL) Renewable Energy Officer and Advisor to the Minister of the Blue Economy, Mark Hill, has explained that it can and
June 02, 2020 Read Full Article
Q&A on Cellulosic Ethanol with Clariant
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) DigestConnect hosted a wildly popular webinar in late April with Clariant’s Head of Business Line, Biofuels & Derivatives at Clariant but there were so many fantastic audience questions we didn’t to, that we decided to follow
May 28, 2020 Read Full Article
Solve Invasive Seaweed Problem by Turning It into Biofuels and Fertilisers
(University of Bath/Phys.Org) UK researchers have developed a cheap and simple way of creating biofuel and fertiliser from seaweed, whilst removing plastic from the oceans and cleaning up tourist beaches in the Caribbean and Central America. Millions of tonnes of rotting seaweed
May 13, 2020 Read Full Article
Plastics Industry Oversold Recycling to Americans, Now What?
by Zoey Shipley and Miro Korenha (Our Daily Planet) NPR and PBS Frontline recently announced a new joint investigation which has revealed that since the 1980s, “the plastics industry spent tens of millions of dollars promoting recycling through ads, recycling projects, and public relations, telling people
April 01, 2020 Read Full Article
The Algae Foundation — Looking Back and Moving Forward
by Ike Levine, Tiffany Cannis and Marissa Nalley (Algae Industry Magazine) In these turbulent times, when many educational programs are in limbo, we wondered what is happening to algae education? For a perspective, we asked leaders of the Algae Foundation
March 30, 2020 Read Full Article
Seaweed-Lined To-Go Containers, Pepsi’s Molded Pulp 6-Pack Rings, Hydrogen-Powered Arctic Station, “Infinite” Toothbrush, and More: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of March 5th
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sit back and just imagine, hanging out at the new International Arctic Station that runs on solar, wind, and hydrogen power, sipping on a Pepsi 6-pack that came in molded pulp rings, eating lunch from a
March 06, 2020 Read Full Article
Learn Algae Production Skills with These Online Courses from the Algae Technology Educational Consortium
(Algae Biomass Organization) Algae production technologies are gearing up to provide biomass that can be used in markets that are projected to reach hundreds of billions of dollars. To help meet that opportunity ABO ‘s sister organization, The Algae Foundation, is coordinating
December 09, 2019 Read Full Article
BECCS to the Future: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to ARPA’s Methane Fuel
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) If you missed ABLC NEXT in San Francisco, let’s go back to the future and look at BECCS – Bio-Energy with Carbon Capture and Storage – and examine the challenges, how it is fueled by methane
November 29, 2019 Read Full Article
New PHA Pathway, Stroodles Noodle Straws, Bamboo Poutine, Seaweed Bioplastic, Rice Husk Travel Mugs and More: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of November 28th
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... It’s Thanksgiving in the U.S. today and many are gathering around the table, chatting about the latest news, like the new Air Protein – air-based food – and whether it will be served alongside…or
November 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Dutch Seaweed-Based Fuel Powers Car to 80 kph in Danish Trial
(Dutch News) Researchers in Denmark have achieved speeds of up to 80 kph using a car powered by Dutch biofuel made from seaweed. The seaweed fuel was produced by scientists at the TNO research centre in Petten and at Wageningen
November 21, 2019 Read Full Article
Kelp Elevator Could Give Biofuels a Lift
by Katharine Gammon (Inside Science) An experiment off the coast of California may bolster efforts to make biocrude from "the Sequoia of the sea." --- Catalina Island, .... Its waters are also home to an unsual-looking science experiment: a floating bed
October 14, 2019 Read Full Article
Ocean Optimism: A To-Do List of Possible Climate Solutions
(Our Daily Planet) The IPCC Oceans report released on Wednesday painted a dire picture of the health of the ocean today. The ocean is a carbon sponge absorbing 93% of the carbon emitted thus far, and it is reaching a breaking point according
September 27, 2019 Read Full Article
Scientists in Mexico Trial Biogas Production from Seaweed
(Bioenergy Insight) A laboratory in Yucatán, Mexico has developed a prototype system that converts seaweed into biogas. Scientists started experimenting with sargassum after large quantities of the seaweed began washing up on the Yucatán coast. Raúl Tapia Tussell, head researcher in
August 28, 2019 Read Full Article
For The Sake Of Our Biofuel, We Must Stop This Feral Hog Menace
by Tina Casey (Clean Technica) ... Aside from scaring the children and scattering the chickens, they are genuinely a major threat to US agriculture and yet another headache for farmers who are already suffering under the impacts of climate change
August 26, 2019 Read Full Article
The Safrinha Subpoena, or, Do They that Soy the Wind Ripen the Whirlwind?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Today we’re going to relate a detective story which begins with an unexplained and foul stink, and branches off into climate, trade, the eradication of poverty, crop rotation, the politics of the Amazon, the flow
August 13, 2019 Read Full Article
How Slime Will Save the World
by Ruth Kassinger (Boston Globe) ... We’ve turned algae into killers. But we can change their future and ours. We can harness them to help save the environment we’ve been ravaging. AFTER THE OPEC oil embargo of the mid-1970s caused gas shortages and
August 05, 2019 Read Full Article
MARINER’s Magnificent Macroalgae: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to ARPA-E
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Oceans are the largest untapped growth opportunity for biomass and that macroalgae is the quintessential ocean crop, according to ARPA-E. But, it says that with the current state of technology, it will never scale to meet
August 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Algae Technology Educational Consortium Prepares Students for Careers in Algae Cultivation and Technologies
by Jonathan Male (U.S. Department of Energy) Algae is a fast-growing industry that needs a skilled workforce of scientists, researchers, and engineers to advance algae technology and the commercialization of algal products to support the bioeconomy. With funding from the Bioenergy
July 22, 2019 Read Full Article
Sea Lettuce Could Make an Ideal Future Biofuel
by Ian Heath (Jersey Evening Post) But now experts are claiming that the annual ‘plague’ of slimy green sea lettuce in St Aubin’s Bay could actually become a blessing in disguise – in the form of a source of renewable energy
July 10, 2019 Read Full Article
Amazing Algaculture: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to MicroBio Engineering
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) MicroBio Engineering works on facility designs, algae equipment, R&D, engineering consulting, techno-economic analyses, LCAs and wastewater treatment. Their focus on algaculture, specifically microalgae cultivation, is what the focus of this presentation is on. John Benemann, CEO and
June 18, 2019 Read Full Article
New Microorganism for Algae Biomass to Produce Alternative Fuels
(Bioenergy Insight) Professor Gyoo Yeol Jung and his research team utilised algae that grow three times faster than starch crops and succeeded in producing biofuel and biochemicals. ... (T)he joint research team of the Pohang University of Science and Technology (Postech) and Seoul
June 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Researchers Create Microorganism for Algae Biomass to Produce Biofuel and Biochemical
(AZO CleanTech) ... (T)he collaborative research team of POSTECH and Seoul National University created a new microorganism, which they christened as Vibrio sp. dhg. In their research, they effectively showed that Vibrio sp. dhg can be a capable microbial platform for the
June 13, 2019 Read Full Article
Towards Sustainable Bioeconomy - Lessons Learned from Case Studies
by Marta Gomez San Juan, Anne Bogdanski and Olivier Dubois (Food and Agricultural Organization) ... )T)his report offers lessons from 26 case studies of sustainable bioeconomy interventions from around the world and from a range of different sectors. The overall aim of the report is
June 11, 2019 Read Full Article
Farming Seaweed to Make Biofuel
(AZO Cleantech) Seaweed can be broadly termed as marine macroalgae, and belongs to one of the many groups of multicellular red, green and brown algae. Seaweed is widely used to produce vitamin supplements, cosmetics, plastics and animal feed in many parts
June 04, 2019 Read Full Article
5 Minutes With… Bram Gräber and Rebecca Groen from SHV Energy.
by Liz Gyekye (BioMarket Insights) “In use, bio LPG is identical to conventional LPG and therefore has the benefit of being able to be blended and used by all existing appliances.” 123 years. That is how long family-owned multinational organisation SHV Energy
March 15, 2019 Read Full Article
The First Certified Sustainable Seaweed
(Marine Stewardship Council) The Seaweed Standard -- The ASC-MSC Seaweed Standard sets a number of requirements under five key principles for seaweed harvesting and farming practices: Sustainable wild populations Environmental impacts Effective management Social responsibility Community relations and interactions The aim of the
February 07, 2019 Read Full Article
Green Guns, Poop Plastic, Kenaf Cars, Wildflower Jacket Insulation, Leaf Extracts that Fight Blue Light Damage and More: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of January 30th
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of January 30th. In today’s Digest, green guns, poop plastic, kenaf cars, wildflower jacket insulation, leaf extracts
January 30, 2019 Read Full Article
Kampachi Company Wins $3.3m Grant to Turn Seaweed into Food, Feed, Fuel
by Jason Huffman (Undercurrent News) The Kampachi Company may be best known for its recent efforts to grow “king kampachi”, aka kahala or almaco jack (Seriola rivoliana), in ocean-based cages, but it also is performing research with plans to make a
December 17, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to ARPA-E’s Agro-Energy Programs
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) advances high-potential, high-impact energy technologies that are too early for private-sector investment. ARPA-E awardees are unique because they are developing entirely new ways to generate, store, and use energy. ARPA-E
December 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Tapping the Genetic Power of Algae: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Algenol
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Algenol is a global, industrial biotechnology company that is commercializing its patented algae technology platform for production of ethanol and other biofuels, chemicals and biobased materials. Formed in 2006, and headquartered in Fort Myers, Florida with an
November 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Announces $98 Million for 40 Transformative Energy Technology Projects; Fuel Cell Projects Funded for $12.5M
(FuelCellsWorks) The U.S. Department of Energy announced $98 million in funding for 40 new projects as part of OPEN 2018, the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy’s (ARPA‑E) latest open funding opportunity. These funds will support some of America’s top energy innovators’ R&D
November 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Pain-Relieving Yarns, Dissolvable Plastic Made out of Algae, Probiotic Nutrition from Soy Waste, Squid-Inspired Smart Materials. Illinois Okays Hemp Cultivation: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of September 5th
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of invention and change is just too strong, we’ve realized, to highlight annual or even quarterly or monthly rankings and summaries of significant product and service advances. For now, we’re going to be tracking
September 07, 2018 Read Full Article
Interview: Scientist Warns of "Seagrass Crisis" in Caribbeans
by Carina Lopez (Xinhua) Massive quantities of Sargassum seaweed are invading Caribbean beaches mostly thanks to global warming and countries should work closely with scientists for a sustainable solution, said a researcher at a leading Mexican university on Saturday. Brigitta Ine Van
August 28, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of July 18th
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In today’s Digest, wool without the sheep, fuels from water and C)2, bacteria-powered solar cells, spectral imagery in the sky, artificial intelligence in the crop field, sugar-based straws and more, ready for you now at The
July 17, 2018 Read Full Article
A First-of-a-Kind Algal-based College Certificate Program Sends Off Its First Graduates
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO)-funded Algae Technology Educational Consortium (ATEC) is proud to announce its first graduates from the algal certificate program at Santa Fe Community College in Santa Fe, New Mexico. These first ATEC graduates
June 27, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of June 6th, 2018
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of invention and change is just too strong, we’ve realized, to highlight annual or even quarterly or monthly rankings and summaries of significant product and service advances. For now, we’re going to be tracking
June 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Saccharification Treatments Using Cellulase and Laminarinase Results in Higher Ethanol
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In the Philippines, researchers from University of the Philippines and Hiroshima University in Japan conducted a study that focused on ethanol production from macroalgae using only enzymatic treatment for saccharification of algal biomass. This involved the isolation
May 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Kelp Farming Sees a Rise In Interest On the Cape
by Sarah Tan (WCAI) Kelp farming is on the rise around the Cape and Islands, as more growers are finding reasons to love this ocean crop. From researchers like Scott Lindell at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute who want to farm the crop
May 14, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of May 2nd, 2018
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of invention and change is just too strong, we’ve realized, to highlight annual or even quarterly or monthly rankings and summaries of significant product and service advances. For now, we’re going to be tracking
May 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Seaweed-into-Biofuel Project Gets Department of Energy Support
by Joanna McWilliams (Colorado State University) A Colorado State University project to grow and harvest ocean macroalgae for biofuel production has received support from the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). ARPA-E has poured over $22 million into their Macroalgae Research Inspiring Novel
April 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Seaweed-into-Biofuel Project Gets Department of Energy Support
(Phys.Org/Colorado State University) A Colorado State University project to grow and harvest ocean macroalgae for biofuel production has received support from the Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). ARPA-E has poured over $22 million into their Macroalgae Research Inspiring Novel
April 17, 2018 Read Full Article
2017 — It Was a Seaweed Year for Algae
(Algae Industry Magazine) ... In September, the US Department of Energy (DOE) awarded $22 million in grants to fund projects for marine biomass farming for production of commercial products, including feedstock for domestic transportation fuels. The funding was provided through the
January 03, 2018 Read Full Article
ASC and MSC Release Joint Seaweed Standard
(Algae Industry Magazine) The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) have announced the launch of the ASC-MSC Seaweed Standard. The joint standard marks a first for the two certification programs, bringing together expertise in sustainable fishing
November 30, 2017 Read Full Article
Techno-Economic Analysis of Biofuel Production from Macroalgae (Seaweed)
by Mohsen Soleymani and Kurt A. Rosentrater (Bioengineering) A techno-economic evaluation of bioenergy production from macroalgae was carried out in this study. Six different scenarios were examined for the production of different energy products and by-products. Seaweed was produced either via
November 28, 2017 Read Full Article
$2.25 Per Gallon Biohydrocarbon Fuels, Unsubsidized? Biozin Licenses IH2 Technology — Heads for Commercial-Scale in Norway
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Texas, CRI/Criterion Catalyst Company has awarded an FEL-2 license agreement for the IH2 technology which converts biomass to liquid transportation fuels, to Biozin Holding. The Front End Loading (FEL-2) package will be completed for the core IH2 technology
November 16, 2017 Read Full Article
Report from EUBCE 2017 in Stockholm, Sweden
by Maija Sihvonen* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Participants from over 70 countries gathered at Stockholm’s Älvsjömässan for the annual European Biomass Conference, EUBCE 2017 in June 12-15. In the field of advanced biofuels two years is a long time, so it
November 09, 2017 Read Full Article
Marine Biological Lab Developing New Seaweed Harvest Methods
(CapeCod.com) The Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods hole has received a grant to develop innovative cultivation and harvesting technologies for year round production of seaweeds in tropical and subtropical U.S. Waters. The award is one of 18 projects funded by an arm
November 02, 2017 Read Full Article
U.S. Department of Energy Awards University of New England $1,321,039 to Develop New Technologies for Seaweed Production
(University of New England) The United States Department of Energy (DOE) announced that the University of New England was awarded a three-year, nationally competitive research grant for $1,321,039 from DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). DOE awardees are part of
October 18, 2017 Read Full Article
Hirono Secures Federal Funding for Clean Energy Research and Development in Hawaii
(Office of Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI)) Senator Mazie K. Hirono today announced that two Hawaii businesses will receive $1.5 million in U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funding to develop offshore seaweed as a potential clean energy source. The funding was awarded
October 17, 2017 Read Full Article
Giant Bacteria Make Algae Easy to Stomach
(EurekAlert!/King Abdullah University of Science & Technology) Red Sea surgeonfish use metabolically diverse giant bacteria to digest different types of algae, according to new research. Not only do these findings explain the basis of surgeonfish diversity, but they may also provide
October 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Fueling the Future: WHOI Awarded $5.7M to Advance Seaweed Energy Production
(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution) In the future, our homes and vehicles could be powered by fuel made from seaweed grown at large-scale offshore farms. Researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) are working to help make that scenario a reality sooner
October 09, 2017 Read Full Article
Yelp! 18 Kelp Wheps Get $22M in ARPA-E Help
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Yes, ARPA-E has unveiled its latest moonshot and is investing $22M in Macroalgae Research Inspiring Novel Energy Resources — also known as MARINER. The projects that comprise ARPA-E’s Macroalgae Research Inspiring Novel Energy Resources (MARINER) program
September 21, 2017 Read Full Article
Startup Is Developing Kelp Farms in the Open Ocean to Make Carbon-Neutral Biofuel
by Lacy Cooke (Inhabitat) Marine BioEnergy’s new kelp elevator grows seaweed on a long tube, and if tests go well, they hope to start farming in the open ocean between Hawaii and California. They’re working with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, which has
September 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Study Shows Seaweed Succumbs to Viruses
(Phys.Org/University of Plymouth) Scientists are warning the UK kelp biofuel industry to beware of viruses. Whilst known to infect certain types of seaweed, a new study published in the ISME Journal is the first to describe viruses in kelps, which are
August 11, 2017 Read Full Article
What Lies beneath: The Ship that Could Revolutionise Seaweed Cultivation
by Julian Turner (Ship Technology) Researchers and industry in Norway are designing the world’s largest seaweed cultivation vessel to meet growing demand for the multi-functional algae. -- Most commonly associated in the West with seaside holidays and Chinese restaurants, seaweed is
June 27, 2017 Read Full Article
First Kelp Crop Harvested in Cornell Pilot Program
by Nicole Smith (Riverhead News-Review) Early Thursday afternoon, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski climbed aboard a barge and headed into the Peconic Bay. Their mission: to harvest sugar kelp, a type of seaweed. The officials participated
June 15, 2017 Read Full Article
Kelp Farming Project Could Come to Catalina Island
by Parimal M. Rohit (The Log) USC’s Wrigley Institute and Marine BioEnergy propose an experimental project to produce a biofuel alternative. -- Plans to build an experimental kelp cultivation system just off the shore of Catalina Island is slated to be
May 05, 2017 Read Full Article
Trial of Seaweed Farm under Way near Oban
by Kevin Keane (BBC Scotland) Trials have begun near Oban to create one of the UK's first seaweed farms. Harvesting of wild seaweed has been taking place for centuries but researchers say there is huge potential to create a farmed industry. Experts say
April 26, 2017 Read Full Article
Novel Technology to Be Used in Search for Disease-Free Seaweed
(The Fish Site) A hi-tech piece of lab equipment that could be used for the first time to help breed disease-resistant algae for the seaweed-growing industry has been delivered to the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) this week. Representatives from
April 21, 2017 Read Full Article
Seaweed Cultivation Could Provide a Promising Source of Sustainable Aviation Biofuels, Finds Norwegian Report
(GreenAir Online) Seaweed could become a promising source of biofuels for aviation if sustainably produced and economic and policy challenges can be overcome, says a report by Norwegian NGO Bellona. Seaweeds, or macroalgae, generally contain high amounts of carbohydrates (sugars)