Comments on: GreenFuel Technologies Announces First Commercial Algae Plant http://cleantechnica.com/2008/10/21/greenfuel-technologies-announces-first-commercial-algae-plant/ Clean Tech News & Views: Solar Energy News. Wind Energy News. EV News. & More. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:05:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Stephen Magrini http://cleantechnica.com/2008/10/21/greenfuel-technologies-announces-first-commercial-algae-plant/#comment-20376 Stephen Magrini Sun, 22 Feb 2009 13:42:00 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=1342#comment-20376 Follow up on Greenfuel Technologies, the business operations and management model is flawed. Engineering and operations management neglected scientific evidence. Investment in this company is lost on egos. Follow up on Greenfuel Technologies, the business operations and management model is flawed. Engineering and operations management neglected scientific evidence. Investment in this company is lost on egos.

]]> By: Stephen Magrini http://cleantechnica.com/2008/10/21/greenfuel-technologies-announces-first-commercial-algae-plant/#comment-4090 Stephen Magrini Sun, 22 Feb 2009 13:42:00 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=1342#comment-4090 Follow up on Greenfuel Technologies, the business operations and management model is flawed. Engineering and operations management neglected scientific evidence. Investment in this company is lost on egos. Follow up on Greenfuel Technologies, the business operations and management model is flawed. Engineering and operations management neglected scientific evidence. Investment in this company is lost on egos.

]]> By: Thomas http://cleantechnica.com/2008/10/21/greenfuel-technologies-announces-first-commercial-algae-plant/#comment-4089 Thomas Mon, 19 Jan 2009 13:02:41 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=1342#comment-4089 I do research on the production of agricultural crops that have a substantially higher per-hectare value than biodiesel algae. In my context, developing 100 ha has to cost well under $1 million to be economical. That is for land and infrastructure. The profit margin on biodiesel is less, so the development costs would need to be lower. The yield estimate of 250 tons per ha per year requires substantially more energy than is provided by sunlight. For sustained production, 25 tons would be very impressive. Current value of raw energy biomass is about $20 per ton. I've seen business plans that depend on defying the laws of physics before, but never commercial success based on those plans. I do research on the production of agricultural crops that have a substantially higher per-hectare value than biodiesel algae. In my context, developing 100 ha has to cost well under $1 million to be economical. That is for land and infrastructure. The profit margin on biodiesel is less, so the development costs would need to be lower.

The yield estimate of 250 tons per ha per year requires substantially more energy than is provided by sunlight. For sustained production, 25 tons would be very impressive. Current value of raw energy biomass is about $20 per ton.

I’ve seen business plans that depend on defying the laws of physics before, but never commercial success based on those plans.

]]> By: Thomas http://cleantechnica.com/2008/10/21/greenfuel-technologies-announces-first-commercial-algae-plant/#comment-20375 Thomas Mon, 19 Jan 2009 13:02:00 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=1342#comment-20375 I do research on the production of agricultural crops that have a substantially higher per-hectare value than biodiesel algae. In my context, developing 100 ha has to cost well under $1 million to be economical. That is for land and infrastructure. The profit margin on biodiesel is less, so the development costs would need to be lower. The yield estimate of 250 tons per ha per year requires substantially more energy than is provided by sunlight. For sustained production, 25 tons would be very impressive. Current value of raw energy biomass is about $20 per ton. I've seen business plans that depend on defying the laws of physics before, but never commercial success based on those plans. I do research on the production of agricultural crops that have a substantially higher per-hectare value than biodiesel algae. In my context, developing 100 ha has to cost well under $1 million to be economical. That is for land and infrastructure. The profit margin on biodiesel is less, so the development costs would need to be lower.

The yield estimate of 250 tons per ha per year requires substantially more energy than is provided by sunlight. For sustained production, 25 tons would be very impressive. Current value of raw energy biomass is about $20 per ton.

I’ve seen business plans that depend on defying the laws of physics before, but never commercial success based on those plans.

]]> By: Andy Olsen http://cleantechnica.com/2008/10/21/greenfuel-technologies-announces-first-commercial-algae-plant/#comment-4088 Andy Olsen Fri, 24 Oct 2008 03:21:21 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=1342#comment-4088 This page asks some useful questions algae biodiesel: http://www.theoildrum.com/node/2541 It seems from what I've heard to date that this is a worthy longer term R&D prospect but not immediately deployable. Would love to hear how the problems have been overcome. There's also debate about the viability of tubular vs open pond systems. This page asks some useful questions algae biodiesel:

http://www.theoildrum.com/node/2541

It seems from what I’ve heard to date that this is a worthy longer term R&D prospect but not immediately deployable. Would love to hear how the problems have been overcome.

There’s also debate about the viability of tubular vs open pond systems.

]]> By: Andy Olsen http://cleantechnica.com/2008/10/21/greenfuel-technologies-announces-first-commercial-algae-plant/#comment-20374 Andy Olsen Fri, 24 Oct 2008 03:21:00 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=1342#comment-20374 This page asks some useful questions algae biodiesel: http://www.theoildrum.com/node/2541 It seems from what I've heard to date that this is a worthy longer term R&D prospect but not immediately deployable. Would love to hear how the problems have been overcome. There's also debate about the viability of tubular vs open pond systems. This page asks some useful questions algae biodiesel:

http://www.theoildrum.com/node/2541

It seems from what I’ve heard to date that this is a worthy longer term R&D prospect but not immediately deployable. Would love to hear how the problems have been overcome.

There’s also debate about the viability of tubular vs open pond systems.

]]> By: Andy Olsen http://cleantechnica.com/2008/10/21/greenfuel-technologies-announces-first-commercial-algae-plant/#comment-4087 Andy Olsen Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:25:52 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=1342#comment-4087 Well, I certainly hope this is true and the technology is viable. But there's a real gap between a lot of advocates and the expectations of researchers. A technology evaluation would be helpful to understand what the barriers are and how these companies propose to overcome them. For example, how do they remove the algae waste to avoid the creation of a toxic environment? Is it a labor intensive process? Well, I certainly hope this is true and the technology is viable. But there’s a real gap between a lot of advocates and the expectations of researchers.

A technology evaluation would be helpful to understand what the barriers are and how these companies propose to overcome them.

For example, how do they remove the algae waste to avoid the creation of a toxic environment? Is it a labor intensive process?

]]> By: Andy Olsen http://cleantechnica.com/2008/10/21/greenfuel-technologies-announces-first-commercial-algae-plant/#comment-20373 Andy Olsen Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:25:00 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=1342#comment-20373 Well, I certainly hope this is true and the technology is viable. But there's a real gap between a lot of advocates and the expectations of researchers. A technology evaluation would be helpful to understand what the barriers are and how these companies propose to overcome them. For example, how do they remove the algae waste to avoid the creation of a toxic environment? Is it a labor intensive process? Well, I certainly hope this is true and the technology is viable. But there’s a real gap between a lot of advocates and the expectations of researchers.

A technology evaluation would be helpful to understand what the barriers are and how these companies propose to overcome them.

For example, how do they remove the algae waste to avoid the creation of a toxic environment? Is it a labor intensive process?

]]> By: Rick Jolly http://cleantechnica.com/2008/10/21/greenfuel-technologies-announces-first-commercial-algae-plant/#comment-4086 Rick Jolly Wed, 22 Oct 2008 18:08:06 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=1342#comment-4086 So based on $4 per gallon fuel, that's a mere $5.2 Million gross annually before operating expenses? Using 100 hectares and costing $92 Million to construct. Why is it that green start-ups don't require viable business plans? So based on $4 per gallon fuel, that’s a mere $5.2 Million gross annually before operating expenses? Using 100 hectares and costing $92 Million to construct.

Why is it that green start-ups don’t require viable business plans?

]]> By: Rick Jolly http://cleantechnica.com/2008/10/21/greenfuel-technologies-announces-first-commercial-algae-plant/#comment-20372 Rick Jolly Wed, 22 Oct 2008 18:08:00 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=1342#comment-20372 So based on $4 per gallon fuel, that's a mere $5.2 Million gross annually before operating expenses? Using 100 hectares and costing $92 Million to construct. Why is it that green start-ups don't require viable business plans? So based on $4 per gallon fuel, that’s a mere $5.2 Million gross annually before operating expenses? Using 100 hectares and costing $92 Million to construct.

Why is it that green start-ups don’t require viable business plans?

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