Darpa Making Algae Jet Fuel

Interesting Wired Article:

http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/12/darpa-general-a.html

Call for Interviews

Are you making your own biodiesel from algae?  Get in touch with me so we can interview you and describe your efforts to the 3000 people visiting this blog every month....with possible exposure to the 45000 readers of the rest of my blog network.  email me at watercarblog@gmail.com

Is everyone growing algae for biodiesel?

Seems like alot of academic research these days is focusing on algae as a potental fuel source for biodiesel. But instead of cranking out a 50 pager no one will ever read, Michelle Sabaoun and Doug Holland at Brunswick Community College are growing their own algae to convert into biodiesel which they hope will allow them to power tractos and other equipment at the college. By the way, where is MIT or Caltech when an energy crisis rears it's ugly head? Can we get some relief here from the brilliant among us? In any case, what I found interesting in the article here was this excerpt:

The technology to convert algae into a biofuel is becoming more and more sophisticated as research spreads through private industry and academia. But Sabaoun notes that the research is not shared, which is not surprising considering the potential economic windfall that could come to whomever figures out the most economical conversion process.


Hey valcent, is anyone in academia furthering your studies? Contact me and let's discuss.

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."