730 days and counting: diesel from algae in your tank

[HoosierRon]

After 30 years, algae-to-fuel finally gets the green light

Within just two years, Americans could be filling their cars with clean-burning biodiesel made from algae.

That’s the ambitious assessment of Harrison Dillon, co-founder of synthetic biology company Solazyme, who believes the transition could move even faster if oil prices continue to climb north of $100 a gallon.

Solazyme is one of the leaders in the rapidly blooming algae-oil industry, and has recently entered talks with Chevron about distributing its fuel, Soladiesel. Other front-runners include Shell, working with HR Biopetroleum, Global Green Solutions, Valcent Products and International Energy.
...
Last December, Royal Dutch Shell announced a collaboration with HR Biopetroleum, a tiny government-funded start-up on the Hawaiian island of Kona. The oil giant has formed a new company called Cellana, which will grow algae on a 100,000-hectare site using seawater ponds and sunlight. Shell has refused to comment on how much it has invested in the project.

Other companies are shifting away from ponds because of the problems of water evaporation and the risk of contamination by other algae species blown in with the wind. However, if algae is grown indoors using electric light, the power used could negate the CO2 sequestered by the plants.

The Vertigro Bio Reactor System has been designed to avoid both problems. Algae is grown within plastic bubbles hanging from racks in a greenhouse. Vertigro is a joint venture by and Global Green Solutions, a giant with offices in El Paso, Vancouver, London, Brussels and Johannesburg, and Valcent Products of Texas. During a 90-day continual production test, algae was being harvested at an average of one gram (dry weight) per liter, which the company estimates would equate to 33,000 gallons of algae oil per acre per year. Such an output is a third more than a pond system could produce, the team estimates.

Vertigro grows algae vertically, which increases output.

[American_Muscle]

I've heard about this and i like it..sounds promising even though diesel engines can run on just about anything.

Another one i like is the switchblade grass or w/e into ethanol..its a LOT more efficient and yields more ethanol per acre...and it wont increase the price of corn, which increases the price of everything corn/corn syrup related.

[crooner214]

So this process nets 1/3 more yield, but it uses electricity from indoor lighting?

[jkennedy293]

In 3-5 years there are going to either be a ton of companies selling a significant amount of biofuels...or the ruins of a biofuel bubble burst. Its just too early to tell.

[ohmywrd8]

This is good! Would be good for the Volt if they had engines that could support it.

[HoosierRon]

Originally Posted by crooner214

So this process nets 1/3 more yield, but it uses electricity from indoor lighting?

The article discusses a couple of different processes. The Solazyme process does not use indoor lighting. Algae only need light in order to make sugar (which -- like humans -- it then converts into fat/oil). Solazyme feeds sugar directly to the algae so that the algae do not have to make it. Therefore, there is no need for any kind of light. The algae are grown in dark tanks.

Also, the Vertigro system pictured uses sunlight, as you can see in the picture.

[PhishPhood]

The good thing about all these start-ups is that they can all be localized. There is no need for a central refinery in say Newark or Wilmington or Corpus Christie. Every town and city and municipality can have it's own production facility possibly in conjunction with a waste water treatment facility. The problem of distribution is solved. The possible benefit of income generation for a municpality would solve a lot of problems of NIMBY. 'Oh BTW this new plant in our town will allow us to lower your fuel bills and lower your property taxes.' DING!!

The fact that it can be produced underground allows for year-round production in Maine, Minn, N & S Dakota, etc. In addition, places like Colorado with limited pastureland can produce for its citizenry deep in the mountains. RAnchers and farmers in Montana and Iowa can 'double dip'. Grow corn and cattle above ground, grow algae below ground.

Methinks that there is a ton of money to be made by anyone willing to take the first step.

OTOH the widely diverse nature of the various processes works against the centralization of the big oil companies. How do you control things when 150,000 individuals and villages/towns are making their own fuel. Then there are innovative companies such as Google, GE, GM, etc who could make their own fuel for their own use and that of their employees.

[racy]

Originally Posted by ohmywrd8

This is good! Would be good for the Volt if they had engines that could support it.

I believe one of the powertrains mentioned as consideration for the Volt does include a diesel generator.

[racy]

Originally Posted by jkennedy293

In 3-5 years there are going to either be a ton of companies selling a significant amount of biofuels...or the ruins of a biofuel bubble burst. Its just too early to tell.

Fortunately for us, we're not in a biofuel bubble yet. Not even close. Once the full scale cellulosic plants show a profit margin - ANY PROFIT MARGIN - it will be a full fledged free for all, and the bubble will begin. And the end of such a bubble would not be an end to the biofuel market, rather the end of the bubble would merely consolidation. Biofuels are here to stay.

The secnd half of such a scenario, which is not an "if", rather a "when" scenario, is that the competitors to the product, such as the big oil companies will be forced to play along and get involved. They will not be able to pit gasoline against ethanol, or diesel against biodiesel. They'll have to get in the game too. They will continue to rake in profits on their product for decades to come, but they will not be aboe to shut out the biofuel market. It is out of the oil majors' control to do such anymore. The biofuel rush is far bigger than Exxon, Shell, CP and BP combine.

[crooner214]

Originally Posted by HoosierRon

The article discusses a couple of different processes. The Solazyme process does not use indoor lighting. Algae only need light in order to make sugar (which -- like humans -- it then converts into fat/oil). Solazyme feeds sugar directly to the algae so that the algae do not have to make it. Therefore, there is no need for any kind of light. The algae are grown in dark tanks.

Also, the Vertigro system pictured uses sunlight, as you can see in the picture.

Thanks, I wasn't quite sure.

[Snafu_SS]

Originally Posted by PhishPhood

The good thing about all these start-ups is that they can all be localized. There is no need for a central refinery in say Newark or Wilmington or Corpus Christie. Every town and city and municipality can have it's own production facility possibly in conjunction with a waste water treatment facility. The problem of distribution is solved. The possible benefit of income generation for a municpality would solve a lot of problems of NIMBY. 'Oh BTW this new plant in our town will allow us to lower your fuel bills and lower your property taxes.' DING!!

The fact that it can be produced underground allows for year-round production in Maine, Minn, N & S Dakota, etc. In addition, places like Colorado with limited pastureland can produce for its citizenry deep in the mountains. RAnchers and farmers in Montana and Iowa can 'double dip'. Grow corn and cattle above ground, grow algae below ground.

Methinks that there is a ton of money to be made by anyone willing to take the first step.

OTOH the widely diverse nature of the various processes works against the centralization of the big oil companies. How do you control things when 150,000 individuals and villages/towns are making their own fuel. Then there are innovative companies such as Google, GE, GM, etc who could make their own fuel for their own use and that of their employees.

That....Is an outstanding point...as long as we keep some regulations out there to keep the product consistent

I really want this to work...it proves that unconventional thinking CAN really lead to something amazing

[JSWZ28]

Originally Posted by crooner214

So this process nets 1/3 more yield, but it uses electricity from indoor lighting?

Remember we are talking about eliminating our dependance on FOREIGN OIL!!! Our electricity comes from Nuclear Power, Coal, and Hydrogen Power which we have plenty of here in the states!!

[TAMark]

I just wish the big oil companies could be left out in the cold. They've made no effort to generate the scientific break throughs that make biofuels possible. But unfortunately they will be needed for their refining and distribution networks.

[hrcslam]

Originally Posted by TAMark

I just wish the big oil companies could be left out in the cold. They've made no effort to generate the scientific break throughs that make biofuels possible. But unfortunately they will be needed for their refining and distribution networks.

Maybe not. If, as posted by someone else earlier, every major city has it's own production facility we wont need the oil companies crap. But, if we did it wouldn't matter because they would be driven broke anyway and would end up selling there equipment for dirt cheap just to cut their losses.

[Masospaghetti]

Wow, $100 a gallon?? Thats ridiculous! :P