Sapphire Energy: An overview

In April 2011, Sapphire Energy was featured in the PBS Special, Planet Forward. This program presented the most promising new companies and technologies in alternative energy. The film crew visited Sapphires labs in San Diego and the R&D Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Sapphire Energy is targeting commercial production in 2012.

Topics: Algae Fuels

Energy Dynamics Laboratory's algae pond at USU Uintah basin

Algae offer a unique synergy in the unconventional fuels arena, offering to turn waste streams from other industries, such as reclaimed water and CO2, into valuable fuels. To move the promise of algae in the production of unconventional fuels to reality, there is a need for research and development and large scale deployment studies.

The mission of EDLs Algae-to-Fuels program is to perform this research and development and then demonstrate low cost (less than $2.00/gallon), large scale and commercially viable fuels from algae. On the path to obtaining this goal is to have more than 1,000 acres of algae ponds under cultivation at an oil production rate of 1,400 gallons per acre per year, or 1.4 million gallons per year. EDL’s team foresees that the algae-to-fuels operation would be profitable, competitive in the marketplace, and unique. EDL plans to start full-scale, 1,000 acre, algae-to-fuels commercial production by October, 2012.

To support this mission, USU Research Foundation (USURF) has created a wholly-owned, for-profit subsidiary called Energy Algal Systems (ALG-EN). ALG-EN is in the process of evaluating four 10+ acre sites for a commercial, pilot scale, demonstration project in 2012. They have also started discussion with several large industrial users of algal oil and algae derived biofuels. Finally, ALG-EN completed its first external consulting project for Phyco2.

Topics: Algae Fuels

BioProcess Algae

BioProcess Algae, LLC designs, builds, and operates commercial scale bioreactors that enable efficient conversion of light and CO2 into high value microbial feedstock.

Rather than fighting biofilms, BioProcess Algae embraces them. The technology at the heart of BioProcess Algae cultivators is a unique high surface area, biofilm-based approach to enhance light penetration, productivity, harvest density and gas transfer – all traditional bottlenecks to low-cost algae cultivation. The Grower Harvester™ technology is a flexible platform that allows for economical production of biomass and secreted metabolites.

BioProcess Algae LLC designs, manufactures, and operates integrated systems to support bioreactor operations and dewatering efforts. Current demonstration activities are supported by commercial scale modular systems that include Grower Harvester™ cultivators, flue gas tie-ins and fully automated operational support such as pH and temperature control, CO2 and nutrient delivery, CIP capability, dewatering and water reuse.

Topics: Algae Fuels

Algae Bioreactor with solar panel system

This video features an algae bio-reactor with solar panels. At present, there are three tubes, each of which holds about 2.5 gallons of water in it. They are each 6 feet long.

Topics: Algae Fuels

Algae: Amazing food product

Algae is perhaps the world’s most efficient food. The video features an algae test production unit in Jal, New Mexico, which uses old injection water from oil and gas wells, saving the oil company money and producing food for people, feed for animals, compost for fertilizers, and oil suitable for vehicles. It is also the highest protein and vitamin vegetable on earth and is substantially more efficient than corn, maize and milo. This unit is a part of Eden Gardens Project, an effort to create food production, energy production and water production campuses near cities, military bases, universities etc for national security, defense safety, and to ensure food, energy and water supply in case of disruptions.

Topics: Algae Fuels

Simrishamn - Regional Algae Farm

ecoLogicStudio has been completing phase1 of Simrishamn Regional Algae Farm for the Osterlen region on the Swedish Baltic Sea. The project has been commissioned by the Simrishamn Municipality and it is currently exhibited to the public in the local Marine Centrum. The hanging algae garden, conceived as an interactive public space of cultivation, is set in-between the labs of the marine centre, the local office of tourisms and overlooking the old port.

The exhibition features three main components:
1. The actual algae garden, featuring the 7 most common algae species in the region, organised and articulated by colour and gradients of intensity. Visitors can cultivate the algae by blowing CO2 in the photo-bioreactor bags, and can observe the diverse colours as well as the different ecologies of micro or macro algae with magnifying lenses and interact via LED responsive memory system.
2. The regional co-action plan is presented via a map on the floor below the garden as well as a Touristic Map of the region.
3. The opening was followed by a symposium discussing the various algae related activities already present in the region and due to be integrated in the masterplan. The event was accompanied by an algae based gourmet lunch based on algal varieties present in the garden.

Topics: Algae Fuels

NAMI: Microalgae air purification technology

NAMI is developing a Micro Algae based photobioreactor for outdoor air purification. Micro algae consume CO2, generate O2 and produce microalgal biomass in the meantime. CO2 polluted air is fed into the photobioreactor as small bubbles. As bubbles move up, CO2 dissolves into the medium where it is actively converted by the suspending microalgae. Besides, the rising bubbles pick up the newly generated O2 and carry it out from the medium. Therefore, in the outlet gas, the CO2/O2 ratio is severely reduced compared to that of the inlet.

Topics: Algae Fuels

Algae.Tec's technology

Algae.Tec is a globally focused advanced renewable oil company.

Algae.Tec is commercializing an enclosed modular high-yield algae to oil growth system at the Algae Development & Manufacturing Centre in Atlanta, Georgia.

Algae.Tec is a publicly listed company on the Australian Stock Exchange, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and on the ADR market in the USA.

The Algae.Tec photo bio-reactors use water, sunlight and nutrients to grow algae that produces high-value sustainable fuels such as biodiesel and jet fuel.

Facilities are being constructed at Nowra south of Sydney, Australia and the Holcim manufacturing plant in Sri Lanka. Roll-out plans include sites in China, Germany and USA.

Topics: Algae Fuels

Algae Bio-Oil

The video explores algae as a potential fuel source- both on land and in air. Algaes growing importance as a fuel source becomes all the more significant with dwindling oil resources.

Topics: Algae Fuels

Algae.Tec signs JV with Chinese company

Roger Stroud, Executive Chairman of Algae.Tec is interviewed on Sky Business News about signing a binding MOU for a 50/50 equity joint venture (JV) in China with Chinese company the Shandong Kerui Group Holding Ltd.

The first project under the JV will be for the construction of a 250-module algae biofuels facility in China to be equally funded by both parties.

The facility will be the first of its size and type in the world, being purely focused on algae for the production of transport fuels.

Topics: Algae Fuels