150 mpg Algaeus starts coast-to-coast tour on algal fuel, electric power on Sept 8th
The Algaeus - a plug-in hybrid powered by drop-in algal fuel
In California, Sapphire Energy and the producers of the award-winning film FUEL announced that the “Algaeus” – the world’s first plug-in hybrid vehicle also powered by algal fuel — twill commence a coast-to-coast tour containing a blend of algae-based gasoline from Sapphire Energy.
The 10-day, 10-city tour kicks off on September 8 in San Francisco. The tour will include a caravan of high technology ‘green’ vehicles and culminates in New York City on September 18 to celebrate the nationwide premiere of FUEL. The tour will kick off in San Francisco on September 8th en route to New York City.
The stops along the tour will include Sacramento (Sept. 9th), Salt Lake City (Sept. 10th), Cheyenne, WY (Sept. 11th), Lincoln, NE (Sept. 12th), Chicago, IL (Sept. 13th), Detroit, MI (Sept. 14th), Cleveland, OH (Sept. 15th), Erie, PA (Sept. 16th), Washington DC (Sept. 17th) and NYC (Sept. 18th).
Veggie Van Organization has partnered with Sapphire Energy, the leader in algae-based fuel production, to introduce the world to the Algaeus. This is the first street-ready and legal car to cross the country using a blend of algae-based gasoline. This vehicle is based on a 2008 Toyota Prius that has been given an added battery pack, a plug and an advanced energy management system. The PHEV (plug in electric hybrid) gets 150 miles per gallon. Additionally, this gasoline blend is a complete drop-in replacement to fossil gasoline. The engine of the Algaeus has not been modified.
Sapphire Energy is providing the fuel that is a complete drop-in replacement containing a mixture of hydrocarbons refined directly from algae-based green crude, extracted through Sapphire’s proprietary process, and fossil fuels to afford a high octane gasoline.
FUEL includes interviews with a wide range of environmentalists, policy makers and educators, along with such “green” celebrities as Richard Branson, Woody Harrelson, Julia Roberts, Sheryl Crow, Larry Hagman, Robert Kennedy, Jr., Larry David, Willie Nelson and Neil Young offer serious fuel for thought. FUEL is directed by Josh Tickell and written by Johnny O’Hara.
More on Sapphire Energy
Sapphire gained instant attention when it raised a stunning $100 million, and participated in the initial algae-based jet test with Continental last December. The combination were factors in propelling Sapphire to a #2 ranking in last December’s 50 Hottest Companies in Bioenergy list. The company has been fine tuning its process in recent months, while increasing the pace of its commercialization schedule.
The company has indicated it will be at 1 Mgy in production by 2011 and 100 Mgy by 2018.
The company’s process starts with molecular biology where Sapphire engineers traits into strains that are considered good candidates for producing the oils are consistent with sustainability objectives. Once these strains have met the criteria Sapphire has established for an ” industrial organism”, the strain is then transferred to Sapphire’s New Mexico R&D center where it is put through real world conditions to prove commercial viability.
The industrial strains will be grown in open ponds until they mature. At this time they are harvested and de-watered (4 to 15 days depending on conditions) and oil is extracted and purified into Green Crude. The Green Crude then is refined.
Tim Zenk of Sapphire said, “Sapphire Energy is investigating a number of methods for use of biomass, including anaerobic digestion. We are striving for a closed loop system which keeps our energy costs low. We like anaerobic digestion because we can use the solid biomass, after extraction, to generate methane which would turn a turbine, generate electricity and CO2. The CO2 is then recycled back into our pond system and off-sets the additional CO2 requirements. We have not yet settled on what the balance between this solution and others may be, however we hope to resolve those questions in the next couple years.”
More on FUEL
In California, “FUEL: The Film”, the award-winning documentary on biodiesel and alternative fuels by Josh Tickell, expanded its distribution to Washington state last spring, as well multiple theaters in California.
The film was originally entitled Fields of Fuel, and emphasized soy-based biodiesel in its first iteration, but was extensively re-shot and edited to incorporate non-food feedstocks, with a focus on algae. Concerns had been raised by supporters of the film over food-vs.-fuel concerns.
An entertaining backgrounder is available on Joshua Tickell, the “man who wanted to change the world one tank at a time,” whose decade-long involvement with biodiesel culminated in the award-winning documentary “Fields of Fuel” that included Julia Roberts and Woody Harrelson among its interview subjects. The report traces his story from a 25,000 mile odyssey of the “Veggie Van”, which was powered by used oil from fast-food franchises and home-brewed into biodiesel, to the making of the film.
“Fields of Fuel” debuted at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, received the Audience Award for Best Documentary Film. “May we work together to create a green and sustainable future. The 2008 Sundance festival was also host to a demonstration of algae-based biodiesel from Solazyme. The company had a demonstration car powered by its trademarked brand Soladiesel.
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