The BIOfuel From Algae Technologies project launches in EU

May 25, 2011 |

In Belgium, nine partners from seven countries have joined in a project to show that ethanol, biodiesel and bioproducts can be produced from algae on a large scale. The BIOfuel From Algae Technologies (BIOFAT) project, largely funded by the European Commission’s Seventh Framework Program, aims to demonstrate that biofuels made from microalgae can offer energy efficiency, economic viability and environmental sustainability.

Abengoa Bioenergia Nuevas Tecnologias (ABNT), the coordinator for BIOFAT project, has teamed with the University of Florence (IT), A4F-AlgaFuel (PT), Ben-Gurion University (IL), Fotosintetica & Microbiologica (IT), Evodos (NL), AlgoSource Technologies (FR), IN SRL (IT) and Hart Energy (BE).

The microalgae-to-biofuel demonstration project aims to integrate the entire value chain in the production of ethanol and biodiesel. The process begins with strain selection and proceeds to biological optimization of the culture media, monitored algae cultivation, low energy harvesting and technology integration. The development team will train on existing prototypes in Israel, Portugal and Italy, then scale up the process at a 10-hectare demonstration plant. The project is expected to last four years and produce about 900 tons of algae annually on the 10-hectare plant.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/european-commission-funds-global-project-to-produce-ethanol-biodiesel-and-bioproducts-from-algae-122488603.html

Category: Fuels

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