Biofuels Journal - March/April 2008 - (Page 14)

Algae Research Progress Continues on Biodiesel Feedstock Studies by Lynn Grooms With increasing sensitivity to sustainability, the biofuels industry has stepped up its efforts to develop feedstocks that do not compete as a food source. Because algae do not compete as a major food source and because they can be grown in water (including wastewater and brackish water) or in photobioreactors, they have gained a lot of attention as a viable, long-term feedstock for biodiesel. Interestingly, the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) conducted almost 20 years of research on algae, beginning in 1978. But due to budgetary considerations, the research was shelved in 1996. During that time, however, NREL collected and screened 3,000 strains of microalgae and developed a process for lipid extraction and conversion to biodiesel. NREL’s work has enabled today’s researchers to move more quickly toward making algae-based biodiesel a commercial reality. How is research progressing? Here’s a summary of just some of the commercial research being done. piped to the bioreactors to feed algae while pure oxygen and a biomass slurry is pumped back to the central plant. A proprietary bio-harvesting process aggregates algae cells into larger, more separable organisms, allowing in situ extraction. The closed bioreactor system enables the company to produce bio-mass from concentrated CO2 at relatively low capital cost, said James Sears, president, A2BE Carbon Capture, noting that high production costs have presented hurdles to algae-based biodiesel. To produce algae-based biodiesel, facilities will have to be profitable. Therefore, A2BE is focused on developing a “poly-product portfolio” for what Sears calls robust global markets for animal feed protein, methane, fertilizer and transportation fuels of all kinds. Photosynthetic algae-based biodiesel technology will start its build-out in five years, but it will likely be eight to 10 years before direct sunlight-based biodiesel will become commercially available to most people, Sears said. Bryan Willson, co-founder, Solix Biofuels Inc., is researching a costeffective biological production system utilizing algae. Photo-Bioreactor Technology A2BE Carbon Capture LLC, Boulder, CO (303-541-9112), has focused on carbon capture and recycling for the production of biofuels, fertilizer, methane, and protein that can be fed to poultry and fish. The company is developing utility grade closed photo-bioreactor technology to grow and harvest algae. Carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide emissions, water, and nutrients are Carbohydrate-Based Fermentation System Solazyme, Inc., South San Francisco, CA ( 650-780-4777). Solazyme is using a carbohydrate-based fermentation system to grow algae rather than using a direct sunlight process. According to Jonathan Wolfson, Solazyme’s CEO, this allows the company to manufacture oil at costs significantly cheaper than using a direct photosynthetic process. “We are currently manufacturing thousands of gallons of algal oil and can go to hundreds of thousands of gallons as a function of deciding to invest the money to do it—feasibility, at those volumes has already been proven in our process,” said Wolfson. Wolfson notes that Solazyme’s technology is essentially a renewable oil production platform that will enable the company to bring high margin products, such as cosmetics, to market rapidly while pursuing intermediate margin products, such as edible oils, on a slightly longer-term horizon. Lower margin fuels and commodity chemical products will be brought to market after edible oils and specialty chemicals, he says. Wolfson expects that the company’s Soladiesel ™ algae-based biodiesel will be commercially viable in two to three years. The obstacles that algae-based biodiesel faces, says Wolfson, have been achieving target production costs, manufacturing consistent quality fuel, manufacturing fuels that meet existing fuel standards and making fuels that 14 BFJ | MAR/APR 08

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Biofuels Journal - March/April 2008

Biofuels Journal - March/April 2008 Contents Stover Ethanol Algae Research High Feedstock Prices Free Fatty Acids Biodiesel Process Fuel From Waste Oil Sustainable Feedstocks DDG Oil Extraction Processing Free Fatty Acids Pretreating Crude Oil Sorghum for Ethanol Barley Ethanol Woody Biomass Wheatstraw Ethanol Waste to Ethanol Switchgrass for Cellulosic Ethanol Sweet Energy Crop Jet Fuel from Algae Supplier Profile: Mason, Mason Mfg. Inc. Supplier Profile: Bensema, The Interstate Companies Managing Switchgrass Biomass Pretreatment Engineering Cellulosic Ethanol FEW 2008 Preview EPA Air Study Training Biofuels Workers Switchgrass Net Energy Monthly Ethanol Production State Report: South Dakota White Paper Studies Energy Act Ultrasonic Ethanol POET Increasing to E-20? Carbon Credits for Cellulosic Ethanol John Neufeld, White Energy John Wilkinson, Minister of Innovation, Ontario Blending Economics Credit Extension Waste to Fuel Enzyme Technologies Ethanol Dedicated Pipeline Husker Ag Inc. Higher Ethanol Yields Industry News Delta T Saving Energy, Water ACE Conference Preview Profile: Sowinski, GreenField Ethanol Profile: Maska, Western Wisconsin Energy, LLC Licensing Technology ICM DOE Grant Book Review Western WI Rail Expansion Ethanol World Cellulosic Ethanol Plants Under Consideration Cellulosic Ethanol Plants Construction Map Nova Biosource Fuels Freedom Fuels, LLC NBB Conference Wrap-up Biodiesel Powered Jaws Biodiesel News Biodiesel Space Age BP plc Chevron Corp. Exxon Royal Dutch Shell Florida Biodiesel Fleet Iowa Biodiesel Board Biodiesel Electricity Biodiesel World Profile: Arnold, Memphis Biofuels LLC Rahul Iyer, Primafuels, Inc. Europe’s Biodiesel Industry Slowdown Brownfield Biofuels Underground Storage Bioindustrial Innovation Biodiesel Buildup Jet Using Biodiesel Biodiesel Positive Energy Balance New Biodiesel Standards Benefuel Solid Catalyst Lipten Company Petroleum Equipment Institute Midland Manufacturing Railroad Industries Inc. Engineered Storage Products Company NARSTCO Inc. ConAgra Trade Group Lide Industries Bunting Magnetics Co. Aldon Company, Inc. Sludge Biodiesel Calendar Ad Index

Biofuels Journal - March/April 2008

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