New algae project at North Carolina State goes forward, Old Dominion project in Virginia proposed

In North Carolina, researchers at North Carolina State University are working to make algae a reality, with a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

The research team is studying Dunaliella, which grows in brackish or salty water – to map the Dunaliella genome and identify the genes responsible for regulating the quantities and qualities of the produced fatty acids. Once that has been done, the researchers plan to replace those genes with genes from other organisms to produce the desired fatty acids and overcome the internal regulatory mechanisms that could potentially limit?fatty acid production. Next, the necessary technology and protocols to grow the algae and extract the fatty acids will need to be fine-tuned. Simultaneously, the researchers will ascertain which chemical catalysts and operating parameters should be used to optimize the conversion of the fatty acids into the desired fuels. Finally, the various fuels will be tested.

In Virginia, Old Dominion University, Virginia Beach and partners have proposed a $50 million project to develop a $50 million algae farm on city-owned land, which includes a $46 million proposal for research funding from the U.S. Department of Energy.

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