Texas awards $4 million to algae research project at Texas A&M

The Texas Emerging Technology Fund (ETF) awarded $4 million Texas A&M’s Texas AgriLife Research unit, and General Atomics, for research into algae based biofuels to support domestic and military fuel needs. The project will include the development of algae strains and methods for algae production.

Algae-based research and development continues to pick up in pace, even though the US Defense Department is estimating that the current production cost of algae oil exceeds $20 per gallon. Recent developments include:

• In Virginia,  researchers at Old Dominion University have successfully piloted a project to produce biodiesel feedstock by growing algae at municipal sewage treatment plants. The researchers hope that these algae production techniques could lead to reduced emissions of nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon dioxide into the air and surrounding bodies of water. The pilot project is producing up to 70,000 gallons of biodiesel per year.
• In Minnesota, Xcel Energy has pledged $150,000 to assist in funding an algae-to-biodiesel research project sponsored by the University and the Metropolitan Council. The grant is a follow-on to more than $4.5 million given to five other University of Minnesota projects from the Xcel Energy Renewable Development Fund.
• The US Department of Energy recently partnered with Chevron in a research effort to develop higher-yield strains of micro algae. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is working on a project with Honeywell, General Electric and the University of North Dakota.
• In Texas, US Sustainable Energy is awaiting lab results from a test of biocrude production using 20 pounds of algae as a feedstock. The company recently ran its initial test of 20 pounds of 5% oil-content algae feedstock with 40 percent water content, and resulted in an ignitable oil product.
• In Arizona, PetroSun BioFuels Refining recently signed a joint venture to develop and operate a 30 Mgy algae biodiesel facility in Coolidge. Construction is projected to commence in the third quarter of this year. Late last fall, PetroSun announced a letter of intent to supply 54 million gallons of algal oil to a new 54 Mgy Bio-Alternatives biodiesel plant in south Louisiana. The initial delivery to Bio-Alternatives refinery will be in the third quarter of 2008.

Free Subscription to the Daily Biofuels Digest e-newsletter

Related Stories

Beacon Energy to acquire 12 Mgy biodiesel plant in Texas from Smithfield BioEnergy

In Texas, Beacon Energy will purchase the operating assets of Smithfield BioEnergy, including a 12 Mgy biodiesel plant in Cleburne. Beacon will finance the transaction via a private equity placement. ...

DARPA awards $25 million to SAIC for algae jet fuel development: $3 per gallon target

In California, SAIC announced that it has been awarded a $25 million contract by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration (DARPA) to develop jet fuel (JP-8) from biomass, including algae....

U of Texas researchers, DOE tout algae-to-energy acceleration

Researchers at the University of Texas have been promoting their 3,000 strain collection of algae species; however, UT professor Michael Webber said that the challenge with algae is "price, price, pri...

National Algae Association rapidly expanding; October conference moves to larger Texas venue

In Texas, all signs are pointing to a massive expansion of the National Algae Association. The organization's third conference, to be held in The Woodlands, TX on October 23-24, has been moved to The ...

National Algae Association to convene networking forum in Texas on July 17

In Texas, the National Algae Association will hold a July 17th forum for networking, research and to present business plans. Algae oil production companies, algae researchers and algaeprenuers will pr...

Texas A&M group develops biodiesel micro-reactor, reduces cycle time, investment cost up to 80 percent,

In Texas, researchers at Texas A&M have adapted a process used in West Virginia to turn the state's lignite reserves into crude oil. The researchers say that the micro-reactors they have developed...