Fields of Fuel Interview and Solazyme segment

Here's an interview on the Matter Network of the makers of the film Fields of Fuel.  Directory Josh Tickell and produce Greg Reitman are interviewed. I haven't seen the film but apparently there is a piece on algae as a producer of biodiesel.  Here's the section of the movie on Solazyme, another company producing biodiesel from algae.  Back in January, it was reported that Solazyme inked a deal with Chevron. 

The film won the Sundance Audience Award....so maybe it will make it to theatres?

Algae Business and Overview

Erica Gies gives us this respectable article covering the interest and industry propping up around the production of biodiesel from algae.

Algae to Biodiesel News Roundup

There's been alot of activity and news surrounding the idea of growing algae and turning it into biodiesel. First, an Israeli firm Seambiotic Ltd is partnering with Seattle-based Inventure Chemical to build a pilot plant in Israel. Hhhhmm, I'll spare you the analysis of the idea of Israeli algae-based biodiesel biofuel vs Arab oil. Seambiotic developed it's own strains of algae and they grow it on an open pond. I wonder if it could grow in the Valcent vertigro system?

In related news, Science Daily explains to us that a couple Kansas State University scientists think the algae that grows in the oceans could possibly be harvested. The National Science Foundation gave these guys ~$100k to do their study. Excerpt: "Certain algal species are high in oil content that could be converted into such fuels as biodiesel, according to Pei and Yuan. " Also of note was Pei on the goal of the research, "to develop a cost-effective process for growing algae on solid carriers in the ocean for biofuel manufacturing."

Green Crude Production

Sapphire Energy announced that they had successfully produced 91 octane gasoline with ATSM certification following a process that began with algae as it's underlying source material. This is an amazing development for those who are tracking the development of algae as a biofuel since it essentially means a proof of concept exists that takes us all the way from the lab to the gas pump where we need it to be.

The infrastructure to support mass production of this process is "modular, transportable and fueled by sunlight--not constrained by land, crops or other natural resources," according to Sapphire.

The article goes on to reference a phrase growing in usage, "Green Crude Production."

National Algae Association

The National Algae Association is a non-profit organization comprised of algae researchers, algae production companies and the investment community who share the goal of commercializing algae oil as an alternative feedstock for the biofuels markets. The NAA gives its members a forum to efficiently evaluate various algae technologies for potential early stage company opportunities.

Also, check out this online presentation. Good overview of biofuels place in the energy marketplace as well as detailed information on algae as a biofuel source.

Wow! Tiny Washingtonpost Article

Came across this article in the Washington Post today about a Mexican company called Biofields that owns a license to make ethanol from algae. It plans to invest a whopping $850Million to build a plant in the Mexican desert. It will be able to produce 250 million gallons of fuel by 2012!

Here's the Biofields website. Hable espanol?

I can't figure out who they got the license from though. Is it Valcent?

Smart Company Mention

An Australian online magazine has a mention of Valcent's Vertigro technology highlighting that "algae has great potential as eco-energy becauseit grows rapidly and up to 50% of its weight is lipid oil that can beused as a biofuel."