What’s up with Algae now? 

July 9, 2015 |

Muradel

Taking in algae, biomass and organic waste streams, Muradel is using Green2Black, a suite of state of the art harvesting, extraction and sub-critical water reactor technologies, to produce “green crude” – green environmentally, but black in color like its fossil crude equivalent.

“The feedstocks do not compete with the food chain and have no or low fresh water requirements. And Green2Black is an efficient closed-loop process that recycles its waste products,” Muradel’s team points out.

According to the company, “Green2Black is commercially scalable, ready to serve the growing demand in Australia and globally for renewable “drop-in” transportation fuels which are compatible with existing fuel infrastructure.” Last November, Muradel launched its integrated demonstration plant to convert algae into green crude in Whyalla. The $10.7 million plant will produce 30,000 liters per year and represents the company’s first step toward an 80 million liter per year commercial scale plant.

Murdel’s technology, Green2Black, uses microalgae produced on site, plant biomass, and organic waste in an energy-efficient subcritical water reactor that converts the feedstock to crude oil in minutes. The demonstration plant was partially funded through a $4.4 million grant from Australian Renewable Energy Agency. Additional in-kind and financial support came from the Whyalla City Council, the South Australian Government through BioSA, and Muradel’s shareholders. The plant is the first of its kind in Australia.

OriginClear

OriginClear’s water cleanup technology, called Electro Water Separation (EWS), is a high-speed, primarily chemical-free process that efficiently extracts insoluble inorganic and organic particulates from very large quantities of water. EWS focuses on the Total Suspended Solids (TSS) in the water, to maximize the clarity of effluent water for downstream operations. Some of the solids, such as petroleum and algae, are valuable products in themselves. EWS therefore delivers a dual value to operators.

In January, OriginOil announced that it is collaborating with the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) of the U.S. Department of Energy. A proposed project focuses on development and implementation of novel approaches to improve efficiency in algal biofuel production.

Together, OriginOil and INL have submitted a proposal in response to a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) titled Targeted Algal Biofuels and Bioproducts (TABB). The TABB FOA seeks alternative pathways to overcome two of the key barriers to commercializing algal biofuels: the high cost of producing algal biomass and the low yield of target biofuel and bioproduct feedstocks produced from algae.

Last September, the company announced it would provide algae harvesting technology for the low-cost algae growth system from Algasol Renewables. The integrated system will launch at Algasol’s new facilities in Bangladesh — a unique, large-scale demonstration of micro-algae production for fish feed.  Initially, the site will cover 6.5 acres, and be capable of producing approximately 25 tonnes of micro-algae per month. Algasol recently launched a showcase site on the island of Mallorca, Spain. Algasol Renewables estimates that algae can be produced for feed using its proprietary technology at industry-low prices, and is negotiating agreements for micro-financing to help large numbers of small farmers in the low-lying delta region of Bangladesh roll out this complete growth and pelletizing system.

Pond Biofuels

Pond Biofuels converts raw smokestack emissions from heavy industry into algal biomass. Algal biomass has value. One tonne of algae can yield 100 litres or more of diesel, and the residual biomass can be used as a renewable coal substitute.

Last July, we reported that St Marys Cement is investing in an algae-based biodiesel system that will be implemented by Pond Biofuels to help reduce the facility’s greenhouse gas emissions. For every kilogram of algae produced, 2kg of CO2 are mitigated. Though the Pond system only uses a small amount of the 540,000 metric tons of CO2 produced every year, the 25,000 liter pilot plant at the facility can grow up to six generations of algae per day thanks to LED technology.

Qualitas Health

In November 2014, Qualitas Health announced the launch of the first consumer products based upon Almega PL, marking the company’s transition from research and development into successful commercialization of the company’s premium algal omega-3 oil.

Within the past 18 months, Qualitas Health completed research and development, performing clinical studies, protecting intellectual property, obtaining regulatory approvals, scale-up of algae growth and manufacturing, collaboration with consumer brands, logistics and sales. Through its completion of these benchmarks, Qualitas Health has emerged as the first company manufacturing omega-3 nutrition ingredients using phototropic algae technology to successfully commercialize.

The initial consumer products include: Almega PL, introduced by Dr. David Williams and sold by Healthy Directions, that contains EPA and polar lipids from Almega PL. This product is positioned as 100% vegetarian EPA omega-3 for mood and heart health. Healthy Directions is a direct-to-consumer nutritional supplement retailer and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Helen of Troy Limited . And Veggie Omega-3+ from Dr. Mark Merriman at Rejuvenation Science Labs, which is a blend of Almega PL, algal DHA and astaxanthin. Veggie Omega-3+ is positioned as a fully vegetarian LC-PUFA omega-3. 

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