Solazyme receives Biofuels Digest Award for Achievement in Advanced Biofuels & Feedstocks

[BIOFUELS DIGEST NEWSWIRE] MIAMI, FL — Biofuels Digest announced this morning that algae-to-energy pioneer Solazyme received the Biofuels Digest Award for Achievement in Advanced Biofuels & Feedstocks.

Solazyme received the award for their pioneering production of algae-based aviation fuel and motor transport biodiesel.

“There isn’t anything hotter than algae-to-energy, but sometimes it has been easier to find the business plans and grant applications than the fuel,” said Biofuels Digest editor Jim Lane. “Solazyme has been getting it done, making it happen, with a unique process that does not use sunlight as an energy source, and shows real promise in scalability.”

The awards recognize companies and individuals for specific achievements in biofuels development or research.

This past September, Solazyme announced production of the first algae-based aviation kerosene, and that the fuel has passed the 11 tests to meet the ASTM D1655 jet fuel standard, according to a fuel report by the Southwest Research Association. Solazyme uses a “dark process” to produce algae, feeding sugar and other nutrients to algae in the dark, which the company says produces algae more consistently and profitably than using photobioreactors or open pond raceways.

Last August, Solazyme raised $45.4 million in series C funding that will provide liquidity as the company expands towards commercial scale.

At the time of the financing, Solazyme CEO Jonathan Wolfson told Biofuels Digest that he expected to commence construction on a commercial-scale facility within two years, and that the major obstacle facing the company in its path towards commercialization was adequate capital, not technological constraints.

Wolfson said that the limitations on production had been primarily caused by shared access to production facilities that would be removed by the construction of a stand-alone plant for the company. Series C investors include Roda Group, Harris & Harris Group,  Braemar Energy Ventures and Lightspeed Venture Partners. The company, which has partnered with Chevron on R&D, had previously raised $17 million in equity, debt and grants.

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