Comments on: Algae Bloom: Two organizations and countless companies strive to bring the dream of algae biofuels to life http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/blog2/2008/09/24/algae-bloom-two-organizations-and-countless-companies-strive-to-bring-the-dream-of-algae-biofuels-to-life/ The world's most widely-read biofuels daily Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:30:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Die Welt der Algen - « Anmerkungen und Beobachtungen http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/blog2/2008/09/24/algae-bloom-two-organizations-and-countless-companies-strive-to-bring-the-dream-of-algae-biofuels-to-life/comment-page-1/#comment-2120 Die Welt der Algen - « Anmerkungen und Beobachtungen Fri, 28 Nov 2008 22:43:57 +0000 http://biofuelsdigest.com/blog2/?p=5129#comment-2120 [...] Quellen beträgt er nicht 30, sondern nur 10 %. Aber immerhin kann ich den geneigten Leser aus dieser Quelle mit einer offiziellen Schätzung des Zeitrahmens versorgen, bis die Sache zum Durchbruch kommt: [...] [...] Quellen beträgt er nicht 30, sondern nur 10 %. Aber immerhin kann ich den geneigten Leser aus dieser Quelle mit einer offiziellen Schätzung des Zeitrahmens versorgen, bis die Sache zum Durchbruch kommt: [...]

]]> By: Ethanol » Blog Archive » “Algae Bloom”: The struggle to make affordable microalgae fuel http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/blog2/2008/09/24/algae-bloom-two-organizations-and-countless-companies-strive-to-bring-the-dream-of-algae-biofuels-to-life/comment-page-1/#comment-1954 Ethanol » Blog Archive » “Algae Bloom”: The struggle to make affordable microalgae fuel Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:08:06 +0000 http://biofuelsdigest.com/blog2/?p=5129#comment-1954 [...] Bloom”, a concise overview of the struggle to make affordable microalgae fuel, from progress to current chal..., has been published by Biofuels Digest. Companies such as Solazyme, Bionavitas, Algenol, PetroSun, [...] [...] Bloom”, a concise overview of the struggle to make affordable microalgae fuel, from progress to current chal…, has been published by Biofuels Digest. Companies such as Solazyme, Bionavitas, Algenol, PetroSun, [...]

]]> By: Green Blogs » Blog Archive » “Algae Bloom”: The struggle to make affordable microalgae fuel http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/blog2/2008/09/24/algae-bloom-two-organizations-and-countless-companies-strive-to-bring-the-dream-of-algae-biofuels-to-life/comment-page-1/#comment-1938 Green Blogs » Blog Archive » “Algae Bloom”: The struggle to make affordable microalgae fuel Thu, 25 Sep 2008 06:30:34 +0000 http://biofuelsdigest.com/blog2/?p=5129#comment-1938 [...] Bloom”, a concise overview of the struggle to make affordable microalgae fuel, from progress to current chal..., has been published by Biofuels Digest. Companies such as Solazyme, Bionavitas, Algenol, PetroSun, [...] [...] Bloom”, a concise overview of the struggle to make affordable microalgae fuel, from progress to current chal…, has been published by Biofuels Digest. Companies such as Solazyme, Bionavitas, Algenol, PetroSun, [...]

]]> By: kai-htun http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/blog2/2008/09/24/algae-bloom-two-organizations-and-countless-companies-strive-to-bring-the-dream-of-algae-biofuels-to-life/comment-page-1/#comment-1934 kai-htun Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:19:44 +0000 http://biofuelsdigest.com/blog2/?p=5129#comment-1934 First, leaders in this growing industry such as Sapphire Energy, mentioned at the outset of this article, along with Aurora Biofuels, Renewable Energy Group and Targeted Growth, are but several industry members of the Algal Biomass Organization along with UOP Honeywell and Mortenson. As a key market for algal-based fuels, members of the aviation industry are very welcome financial and intellectual supporters of the ABO; however, the ABO is not an aviation industry initiative. Tthe ABO grew out of the very first Algae Biomass Summit in November 2007. Second, the Second Algae Biomass Summit being held in Seattle on October 23-24 has been scheduled with public notice both in the popular press and on the ABO website since May. The NAA unfortunately (and willingly) created the current confusion when it changed venues and dates to coincide with the Algae Biomass Summit. Just the facts. First, leaders in this growing industry such as Sapphire Energy, mentioned at the outset of this article, along with Aurora Biofuels, Renewable Energy Group and Targeted Growth, are but several industry members of the Algal Biomass Organization along with UOP Honeywell and Mortenson. As a key market for algal-based fuels, members of the aviation industry are very welcome financial and intellectual supporters of the ABO; however, the ABO is not an aviation industry initiative. Tthe ABO grew out of the very first Algae Biomass Summit in November 2007.

Second, the Second Algae Biomass Summit being held in Seattle on October 23-24 has been scheduled with public notice both in the popular press and on the ABO website since May. The NAA unfortunately (and willingly) created the current confusion when it changed venues and dates to coincide with the Algae Biomass Summit.

Just the facts.

]]> By: simplicator http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/blog2/2008/09/24/algae-bloom-two-organizations-and-countless-companies-strive-to-bring-the-dream-of-algae-biofuels-to-life/comment-page-1/#comment-1930 simplicator Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:12:13 +0000 http://biofuelsdigest.com/blog2/?p=5129#comment-1930 Although we need to grow it before we process it, gasification, pyrolysis, supercritical fluids and hydro-treatment are potential approaches to making fuel from algae. They all avoid mechanical oil extraction and transesterification -- old fashion, cottage industry methods that are on their way out. I'm a bit surprised that no company has turned to the sea to grow algae. Most of our petroleum came from massive plankton blooms, so it seems natural to revisit that same process. With the proper stimulation, "controlled" blooms could be fostered and captured by tankers with large on-board fuel making plants and storage tanks. There are areas of the sea with all of the elements needed for large blooms, they just need a single additive, such as pH modification. Even if you didn't make the plankton into fuel, they would consume massive amounts of CO2. Routes for the tankers would be plotted by matching cultivation sites with fuel off-take ports. Ultra-efficient propulsion, supplemented by wind, would help drive down the cost and environmental impact. Maybe just another Epcot candidate, but I have much more faith in nature producing algae than man. Why create synthetic environments when the real thing is so good? Although we need to grow it before we process it, gasification, pyrolysis, supercritical fluids and hydro-treatment are potential approaches to making fuel from algae. They all avoid mechanical oil extraction and transesterification — old fashion, cottage industry methods that are on their way out.

I’m a bit surprised that no company has turned to the sea to grow algae. Most of our petroleum came from massive plankton blooms, so it seems natural to revisit that same process. With the proper stimulation, “controlled” blooms could be fostered and captured by tankers with large on-board fuel making plants and storage tanks. There are areas of the sea with all of the elements needed for large blooms, they just need a single additive, such as pH modification. Even if you didn’t make the plankton into fuel, they would consume massive amounts of CO2.

Routes for the tankers would be plotted by matching cultivation sites with fuel off-take ports. Ultra-efficient propulsion, supplemented by wind, would help drive down the cost and environmental impact. Maybe just another Epcot candidate, but I have much more faith in nature producing algae than man. Why create synthetic environments when the real thing is so good?

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