Solazyme Hopes to Mass-Produce Algae Biodiesel in Three Years
I’ve often thought that algae could be one of the keys to our energy future, and now I’m more convinced than ever. In a conference call earlier today, Solazyme CEO Jonathan Wolfson said that his company is capable of producing millions of gallons of biodiesel derived from algae within 3 years.
Solazyme is the first company to produce algae diesel that meets US standards, but until today their production timeline was unknown.
“The technology is moving a lot quicker than some people would expect,” Wolfson said.
- » See also: US Arpa-E Funding Enlisting Cyanobacteria to Make Fuel For Humans
- » Get CleanTechnica by RSS or sign up by email.
Most companies working with algal fuel grow algae in open ponds, harvest the plant, and squeeze the oil out, but Solazyme takes a different approach. The company grows algae in the dark in large tanks by feeding it with biomass. The algae then eat the biomass and turn it into natural oils.
According to Wolfson, the logic behind this approach is that it works with the existing biofuel infrastructure. “We produce oils on the fuel side that can go straight into the refining structure,” he said.
With so many fuel technologies having excruciatingly long timelines, it’s encouraging to see a company working on the fast track.
Posts Related to Algal Fuel:
- Algal Fuel One Step Closer to Becoming a Conventional Oil Alternative
- Algae-Based Biofuel to Power Virgin Atlantic 747 Jet?
- First Algae Biodiesel Plant Goes Online: April 1, 2008 : Gas 2.0
- Solazyme Makes First Algae Diesel to Meet Strict US Standard
- First Heavy Duty Diesel Powered by Algae Biodiesel, Solazyme’s “Soladiesel”
- Cellulosic Ethanol Sugar Diverted to Algae Biodiesel Production
- First Cars Run on Algae Biodiesel; Breakthrough Production Possible
Why bother with this company when it is already being done? Check out Valcent Products. They are creating Algea Farms that are vertical and can be built in the desert in order to manufacture Biodiesel from Algae. they have the process down to a T, they are just trying to create the perfect algea species that will yield the most algea oil.
Old News . . .
Hawkins -
It’s not clear to me which algae-based process will be the most efficient. Photosynthesis-based algae production, such as Valcent, hits an upper limit based on available sunlight. When you add in the cost of building the facility and extracting the oil from the water, it may not be a winner.
List folks, Solazyme will be out of business in three years, five years max. These folks are running a scam, I have met several of them in various places and it just does not feel right.
They sure put on a good front but mark my words every investor will loose their ass and never see a return on their money. I have seen these types way too many times and know a scam when I see one.
So what are you saying? you need more energy to extract the biodiesel than it can actually produce?
This sounds like the same story we’ve heard time and time again.
[...] Could biodiesel made from algae be mass produced with just three years? One of the companies developing the technology says yes. cleantechnica.com [...]
[...] assistance to develop their technology. Of course, they’ll have plenty of competition from existing companies. But whatever the outcome of their commercial aspirations, Trafford and co. deserve kudos for their [...]
[...] fuel has become a hot topic as of late, and now Solix Biofuels has spiced up the conversation with a claim that it can cut the [...]
[...] the military’s energy needs, the production of algae-based fuels is getting a long look from businesses and scientists. PetroSun opened the first algae to biofuel facility in the U.S. last April. Such [...]
this is great + helpful what is the green stuff?