Green Star debuts new process for continuous algae oil, sugar extraction; expected to slash production costs

In California, Green Star Products (GPSI) is expected to announce today that it will license technology from Biotech Research for a new, low-cost method for extracting algae oil and cellulose sugar from microscopic algae biomass.

The process replaces the mechanical dry-and-press process which has bedeviled algae oil economics, and continuously strips oil from algae as well as reducing biomass into carbon chain carbohydrates, and proteins. and The company is expected to qualify for research grants from the Department of Energy aimed at the support of cellulosic ethanol R&D, based on the potential for conversion of algae sugars to ethanol.

Green Star has been operating a 11,000 gallon demonstration-scale production facility in Montana since last April. The company recently completed a winter production demonstration in temperatures as low as -18 F, which slowed but did not stop outdoor algae production.

The sugars from carbohydrate-rich cellulose and hemicellulose can be used to make a variety of products including ethanol and other high demand chemical products. The oil can be made into biodiesel and other products.

GSPI secured the technology license from Biotech Research, Inc. (BTR), one of GSPI’s consortium partners. Biotech Research, Inc. operates a high tech research facility at the University of Baja California in Ensenada, Mexico, where a team of scientists and
engineers are studying short, medium and long-term technologies for the advancement of algae production.

Joseph LaStella, president of Green Star, stated, “GSPI along with a handful of other high tech companies are leading the industry in algae commercialization; however, there are two major hurdles to overcome: First, an efficient, affordable construction and processing method to control the environment to promote optimum algae growth; Second, efficient harvesting and extraction of oil from the microscopic algae biomass”.

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