Oilgae Blog - The Latest from the World of Algae Fuels
AEA Works on Ecomics of Seaweed Anaerobic Digestion
You are at: Oilgae Blog.SCOTTISH Enterprise (SE) has announced that leading international energy and environmental consultancy AEA has been awarded the foresighting and economic modelling work for SE’s recently integrated ITI Energy Seaweed Anaerobic Digestion (SAD) programme, to aid and underpin the commercialisation of the technology being developed.
Seaweed (or marine algae) remains an untapped global natural resource that could be sustainably harvested and processed, using anaerobic digestion, to provide a renewable energy source. The £3.7 million R&D programme aims to exploit this potential with the development of key enabling technologies, that will scale-up the SAD process and optimise seaweed harvesting to generate renewable, sustainable and secure energy.
Labels: Algae-Cultivation-Marine, Algae-Methane
Growing Algae in Acre-sized Platforms in Ocean
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Kansas State University engineer Wenquiao Yuan and his colleague think that growing algae on floating, acre-sized platforms in the ocean could dramatically reduce expenses associated with algae oil production by providing free sources of sunlight, nutrients, controlled temperature and water.
Unless the platform can grow algae several millimeters thick, it would be too difficult to scrape off the biomass for processing into oil.
The algae have responded well to dimpled stainless-steel. But the engineers are not sure why algae grow differently, depending on the type of material and surface texture.
Understanding those "mechanisms of attachment" is the goal of the first portion of the research, which is funded by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). From there, the engineers will likely test their platform system in a smaller pond environment and then take it offshore.
See more: msnbc
By the way, have you subscribed to the Oilgae Blog?; How about joining the Oilgae mailing list?; and our forum to discuss on with others?Australian Soil Becomes Food for Marine Algae
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The storms that engulfed Sydney in orange and yellow clouds last week may be a boon for sea life and lower carbon dioxide levels after as much as a million tons of dust were dumped into Australia’s oceans, providing a rich supply of food for algae.
The gale-force winds that ripped through Sydney may have dumped the iron-rich topsoil from Australia’s drought-ridden Outback into the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean, where it would have been absorbed by algae, said Craig Strong, a coordinator for DustWatch, a research and monitoring agency.
The infusion of so much soil into the ocean may prove a veritable feast for plankton that feed on algae and are then eaten by fish, crabs and krill.“It’s been pretty well established that if iron is available, then it will lead to phytoplankton blooms,” said Heiko Daniel, a lecturer in agronomy and soil science at the University of New England in New South Wales. “And they take up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.”
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Universities Conduct Joint Studies into Water Purification and Algae Harvesting
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UJ chemical technology professor Bhekie Mamba will lead the South African research teams while Professor Sammy Boussiba and Professor Yoram Oren will head up the projects in Israel.They will be assisted by Professor Eric Hoek, of UCLA, a renowned expert in the fields of water purification and microalgal biotechnology.
Mamba said that the two universities will brainstorm how they can contribute to ongoing South African research on water purification in rural areas and at Hartbeespoort dam. In addition, they will research the feasibility of harvesting algae from the dam and converting it into energy.The Hartbeespoort dam remediation programme is being implemented by the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs to address the imbalances and unhealthy biological conditions in the dam.
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Labels: Algae-Cultivation-Marine, Algae-Energy, Algae-Energy-Products
Anti-methane Feed for Cattle: Marine Algae
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That started JCU nutritionist Dr Tony Parker and marine scientist Professor Rocky de Nys thinking about the potential of seaweed as a low-methane fodder source—in particular the fast-growing “green tide” of algae that can be used to soak up excess nutrient in treatment of water used by aquaculture.
Some of these algae can grow at four times the rate of sugar cane on a dry matter basis.
Many aquaculture farms use seaweeds and algae to clean their ponds of the waste from fish and crustaceans. Effluent water contains nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous, which in excess are partly responsible for the breakdown of aquatic ecosystems in the Inner Great Barrier Reef.
These are also the nutrients that the “green tide” of algae thrive on, Professor de Nys said. “At present, however, there is little incentive provided to farmers to use this bioremediation method as it means they will often be left with a huge algal biomass that they don’t know what to do with and which has little to no financial value.”
But Dr Parker believes that marine algae may offer another protein source for cattle, especially in winter when feed is scarce.
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Labels: Algae-Biodiesel, Algae-Cultivation-Marine, Algae-Methane
Pakistans has Potential to Produce Oil from Algae - Dr Ehsan Ali
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Dr Ehsan Ali, a researcher at the Mie University of Japan, said that Pakistan had about 27 million acre of saline lands without any remarkable output that could prove a cheaper medium to produce biofuel from algae during a seminar.
He also said that Pakistan is depending on fossil fuel and needs to establish a ‘Biofuel Research Center’ where we can focus to develop biofuel industry in the country using advanced technologies. He said Pakistan Technology Board, an organisation of Ministry of Science and Technology responsible to identify and promote key technologies in Pakistan, has already taken some initiative to promote innovative research approaches towards biofuel production.
An Interesting Article on Kelp
You are at: Oilgae Blog.
I came across an interesting article on a commonly found macroalgae - kelp on the Epoch Times.
Kelp—the Wonder Plant - This article highlights the various application of kelp.
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Method of Production of Biofuel from The Surface of the Open Ocean
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This interesting patent is about using sargassum seaweed for biofuel production - Method of Production of Biofuel from the Surface of the Open Ocean by Michael Markels
What is claimed is:
A method of producing biofuel from the surface of the ocean waters comprising the following steps:
(1) testing a water surface of an ocean to determine a time period that said water will remain for a biofuel generation;
(2) testing said water surface to determine a first nutrient that is missing to a first extent that limits the growth of a first plant life;
(3) applying said first missing nutrient in a form that remains available to said first plant life;
(4) harvesting a first harvested portion of an increased biomass of said first plant life that results from said applying;
(5) removing a first returnable portion from said first harvested portion to leave a remainder of said first harvested portion, and spreading said first returnable portion on said water surface; and
(6) processing said remainder of said first harvested portion into a biofuel component.
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Seaweed Could Provide the Sustainable ’Green’ Fuel of the Future
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The tripartite BioMara bio-marine energy research project will be spearheaded by marine scientists based in Ireland, the North and Scotland.They will investigate on converting seaweed and other plant algae into fuel as an alternative to the use of food crops to produce bio-fuels. Addressing stakeholders at the Northern Ireland Science Park Mrs Foster said the BioMara project was at the cutting edge of renewable fuel technology.
Dr Michele Stanley from the Scottish Association for Marine Sciences in Oban who is leading development work on the project said: “With global fossil fuel supplies dwindling and atmospheric carbon dioxide levels affecting climate change, there is an urgent need for new, renewable fuel sources with low net carbon emissions.
“Marine algae could be part of the solution. Seaweeds grow rapidly, harness carbon dioxide and have simple structures which make them easily converted to fuel.”
NASA Grows Algae for Wastewater Treatment in Ocean
You are at: Oilgae Blog.They grow algae in plastic bags filled with sewage floating in the ocean.
Jonathan Trent, the lead researcher on the project at NASA's Ames Research Center in California, said the effort has three goals: Produce biofuels with few resources in a confined area, help cleanse municipal wastewater, and sequester emissions of the GHG (greenhouse gas) CO2 that are produced along the way.
It starts with algae being placed in sewage-filled plastic bags called OMEGA bags. The OMEGA bags are semipermeable membranes let freshwater exit but prevent saltwater from moving in. Then the algae in the bag feast on nutrients in the sewage. The plants clean up the water and produce lipids that will be used later as fuel.
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HR BioPetroleum Receives Governor's Innovation Awards
You are at: Oilgae Blog.HRBP is a Hawaii-based renewable energy technology company focused on utilizing marine microalgae to produce biofuel feedstocks and other valuable products. The company developed a proprietary process called ALDUO technology that leverages the photosynthetic power and rapid growth characteristics of microalgae to convert sunlight, CO2, and other nutrients into inexpensive vegetable oils and biomass. HRBP's algae cultivation technology has been demonstrated through a pilot facility on the Kona Coast of the Big Island.
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NASA Envisions "Clean Energy" From Algae Grown in Waste Water
NASA scientists have proposed an ingenious and remarkably resourceful process to produce "clean energy" biofuels, while it cleans waste water, removes carbon dioxide from the air, retains important nutrients, and does not compete with agriculture for land or freshwater. This is an excellent approach wherein clean energy is produced in addition the waste is also treated.
NASA Envisions "Clean Energy" From Algae Grown in Waste Water. Image Credit: NASA Ames Research Center
When astronauts go into space, they must bring everything they need to survive. Living quarters on a spaceship require careful planning and management of limited resources, which is what inspired the project called “Sustainable Energy for Spaceship Earth.” It is a process that produces "clean energy" biofuels very efficiently and very resourcefully.
"The reason why algae are so interesting is because some of them produce lots of oil," said Jonathan Trent, the lead research scientist on the Spaceship Earth project at NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. “In fact, most of the oil we are now getting out of the ground comes from algae that lived millions of years ago. Algae are still the best source of oil we know."
"The inspiration I had was to use offshore membrane enclosures to grow algae. We're going to deploy a large plastic bag in the ocean, and fill it with sewage. The algae use sewage to grow, and in the process of growing they clean up the sewage," said Trent.
It is a simple, but elegant concept. The bag will be made of semi-permeable membranes that allow fresh water to flow out into the ocean, while retaining the algae and nutrients. The membranes are called “forward-osmosis membranes.” NASA is testing these membranes for recycling dirty water on future long-duration space missions. They are normal membranes that allow the water to run one way. With salt water on the outside and fresh water on the inside, the membrane prevents the salt from diluting the fresh water. It’s a natural process, where large amounts of fresh water flow into the sea.
Floating on the ocean's surface, the inexpensive plastic bags will be collecting solar energy as the algae inside produce oxygen by photosynthesis. The algae will feed on the nutrients in the sewage, growing rich, fatty cells. Through osmosis, the bag will absorb carbon dioxide from the air, and release oxygen and fresh water. The temperature will be controlled by the heat capacity of the ocean, and the ocean's waves will keep the system mixed and active.
When the process is completed, biofuels will be made and sewage will be processed. For the first time, harmful sewage will no longer be dumped into the ocean. The algae and nutrients will be contained and collected in a bag. Not only will oil be produced, but nutrients will no longer be lost to the sea. According to Trent, the system ideally is fail proof. Even if the bag leaks, it won’t contaminate the local environment. The enclosed fresh water algae will die in the ocean.
The bags are expected to last two years, and will be recycled afterwards. The plastic material may be used as plastic mulch, or possibly as a solid amendment in fields to retain moisture.
“We have to remember,” Trent said, quoting Marshall McLuhan: “we are not passengers on spaceship Earth, we are the crew.”
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Labels: Algae-Aviation-Fuel, Algae-CO2-Capture, Algae-Cultivation-Marine, Algae-Cultivation-Sewage
Indonesia and South Korea to Develop Biofuel from Seaweed
You are at: Oilgae Blog.The use of seaweed as the raw material for biofuel production is expected to draw support from environmentalists, who recently criticized the use of land-based raw materials such as palm oil, maize and sugar cane as having caused massive deforestation across Indonesia’s tropical forests.
Secretary general of Indonesia Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry Widi Agoes Pratikto and president of the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) Kyoung-hoan Na signed a memorandum of understanding for the biofuel development in Jakarta on Saturday, marking a joint cooperation to harness Indonesia’s abundant seaweed resources.
The agreement was signed at a meeting between chambers of commerce and industry from the two countries, and was witnessed by Indonesia’s Acting Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Sri Mulyani Indrawati and South Korea’s Knowledge Economy Minister Lee Youn-Ho.
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Labels: Algae-Biodiesel, Algae-Cultivation-Marine
Using Phytoplankton to Trap Carbondioxide in Ocean Faces a Snag
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Those researchers, led by Wajih Naqvi and Victor Smetacek, created a bloom of phytoplankton by fertilising an area of 300 square kilometres with six tonnes of iron sulphate, which dissolves in water. In two weeks the bloom’s mass doubled. But it also proved to be extremely tasty for small crustaceans called copepods, which gobbled the phytoplankton up so quickly that even with further iron fertilisation the bloom stopped growing. As a result, only a small amount of CO2 was dispatched to the ocean floor.
The problem lay with the species of phytoplankton in the bloom. In previous experiments the blooms had consisted of a group of algae known as diatoms. As diatoms have shells made of silica they are protected from copepods and so are more likely to die without being eaten and thus take take their carbon to the ocean floor. But in the area where the researchers were working natural blooms had already depleted much of the silicic acid, which the diatoms use for shellmaking. The result was that the beneficiaries of the iron were instead groups of algae such as Phaeocystis, which are among the most heavily grazed by copepods.
Since silicic-acid levels are naturally low across about two-thirds of the Southern Ocean, the expedition’s results suggest that iron-fertilisation would remove less CO2 from the atmosphere than optimists had hoped.
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LOHAFEX Gained Crucial Insights Into The Marine Biology
You are at: Oilgae Blog.The LOHAFEX team found that though the algae mass doubled in size after four tonnes of dissolved iron was dropped in a 300 sq km patch of ocean, most of it was quickly eaten away by a crustacean zooplankton species. "This grazing resulted in most of the CO2 trapped by the algae to be recycled into the air,'' said Dr S W A Naqwi from National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Goa, who was co-chief scientist of the project.
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Climate Change Affects CO2 sequestration by Diatom
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Zoology professor Elena Litchman, who works at MSU's Kellogg Biological Station
Litchman analyzed data from lakes and oceans across the United States, Europe and Asia and found a striking difference between the size of diatoms in freshwater and in marine environments. In oceans, diatoms grow to be 10 times larger on average than in freshwater and have a wider range of sizes.
One factor that affects growth is nutrient availability, Litchman said. The research shows that limitations by nitrogen and phosphorus exert different selective pressures on cell size. The availability of these nutrients depends on the mixing of water from greater depths. Using a mathematical model, Litchman and her colleagues found that when those nutrients are constantly limited and mixing is shallow, smaller diatoms thrive.
But when nitrate comes and goes, as often happens in roiling oceans, diatoms evolve larger to store nutrients for lean times. Deep mixing also benefits large diatoms. Depending on how intermittent the nitrate supply is and how deep the ocean mixes, there can be a wide range of diatom sizes. Size matters for the creatures that eat them and also for carbon sequestration, as large diatoms are more likely to sink when they die.
Changing climate could alter the mixing depths and delivery of nutrients to diatoms and their subsequent sizes with a cascade of consequences, Litchman said.
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Dennis Bushnell, Chief Scientist- NASA Quote Algae
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A chief NASA scientist argues that the future is green ... and salty.
He says "Algae and bacteria are the two most important biofuel technologies of the twenty-first century. As a replacement for oil, algae is extremely practical, utilizes mostly cheap and abundant resources like saltwater and wasteland, and has the potential to reduce global carbon-dioxide output tremendously. Unlike corn or even sugar ethanol, halophyte algae (algae that grow in saltwater) do not compete with food stocks for freshwater. Agriculturalists are told to think of salt as bad, but people living on the shores of India have had a saline-based agricultural system for hundreds of years. For halophyte algae, salt is good"
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Algae to Assist Plant Powers on the Rise - Research at Sequim Marine Sciences Lab
You are at: Oilgae Blog.Algae and seaweed grown in the open ocean could provide biodiesel and even jet fuel, according to Michael Huesemann, a biochemical engineer at the Sequim Marine Sciences Laboratory. The facility, the only U.S. Department of Energy marine lab in the country, is a center for algal fuel research. -- Photo by Diane Urbani de la Paz/Peninsula Daily News
At the Marine Sciences Laboratory on Sequim Bay, Michael Huesemann, a biochemical engineer who grew up near Hamburg, Germany, is at the front of the quest for algal biofuel. To him, it's not so new. Huesemann started working with algae six years ago, and has only recently seen interest in his research bloom like roses in a greenhouse.
The Sequim lab, which sits on 140 acres facing Sequim Bay, is the only U.S. Department of Energy marine research facility in the country, so it is indeed interesting to know that this lab is doing research on algal biofuels.
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Labels: Algae-Aviation-Fuel, Algae-Biodiesel, Algae-Cultivation-Marine
Algae to Ethanol Producer Algenol Bets On New Production Method
You are at: Oilgae Blog.Now, armed with patents, several test facilities around the world, and some $70 million in private backing, Algenol is targeting its first large-scale ethanol production facility with output that may rival that of some of the category's largest U.S. players. Algenol recently inked a partnership with BioFields, which has committed $850 million to build an industrial-scale ethanol facility in Mexico on 102,000 acres of desert located near the Pacific coast and not far from Cabo San Lucas.
Using a patented algae, Alegenol uses seawater and places the water-based plant inside. As the algae grows, Alegenol will tap into carbon dioxide from a nearby power plant and funnel it into the tanks. The algae takes the gas and converts it into oxygen and evaporated alcohol, which is then removed and concentrated for use as fuel. Unlike other algae players that make diesel oil by processing algae itself, Algenol doesn't spend time or energy removing the algae. It uses the ethanol vapors that the plant emits
Full report here
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Labels: Algae-CO2-Capture, Algae-Cultivation-Marine, Algae-Energy-Companies
Algae to Fuel Plant in Holland, Michigan - Sequest LLC
You are at: Oilgae Blog. See the complete list of Oilgae Blog articles.Holland (Michigan) may be in line for a $7 million state-funded pilot project to combine wastewater and carbon dioxide to grow algae for biofuel and animal feed.
Lawmakers are expected this month to complete work on grants for targeted industries worth hundreds of millions in coming years. That comes on top of film-production incentives that are drawing dozens of movie projects to Michigan at an estimated cost of $100 million.
In Holland, representatives of Bloomfield Hills-based Sequest LLC toured the city's wastewater and coal plant as a prospective site for its plan to divert carbon dioxide from the power plant, combine it with treated wastewater, and grow algae. The algae would then be converted to biofuels and other uses.
No one has done before. But if it works, Sequest CEO Bob Truxell believes it could help transform the world energy equation.
Source
Nature gave us oil from algae; perhaps we should try Nature's way again
Labels: Algae-Cultivation, Algae-Cultivation-Marine, Algae-Cultivation-Sewage, rine
Save the Planet with Algae Installation Project - Collaboration Sought
You are at: Oilgae Blog.Do you know that oil derived from algae is an exciting renewable fuel possibility? - see Oilgae for more.
Save the Planet with Algae Project
Interactive installation at Burning Man aka Greening Man 2007.
Biofuels are all over the news these days as a non-toxic way to eliminate greenhouse gases and our dependency on petroleum. But, to grow enough fuel for the U.S. using land crops (soybeans, switchgrass, “waste” cellulose, etc.) would require more than the entire area of the country and cause massive ecological damage. How can we grow all the fuel we need without injuring our precious cropland, topsoil, and water supplies?
Microalgae produce prodigious amounts of biodiesel fuel and can be grown in salt water. This means it can be farmed in oceans, inland salt water lakes or non-productive land area (such as the playa!), reserving our fertile land and fresh water for ecosystems and growing food. Algae are also many times more productive per acre than any other biofuel technology. For example, a one-acre algae pond (208 feet x 208 feet) could supply fuel to 10+ ordinary diesel cars year-round. Algae can simultaneously treat wastewater and produce valuable co-products (fertilizer, nutrients, pigments, etc.). Because of the simplicity of making biodiesel from algae oil, DIY-ers, cooperatives, environmentalists, developing countries, and just about anyone can participate in this economical, eco-friendly approach to fuel-self sufficiency.
We are seeking collaborators and like-minded spirits to build and operate an inspirational educational algal biodiesel production facility for the ’07 Burning Man festival and beyond. We will show 40,000+ burners how to grow and harvest fast-growing, clean-smelling algae and make it into fuel! We are building a greenhouse sanctuary to house the algae pool and Zen teahouse where we will serve green algae smoothies in the humid, oxygen-rich atmosphere generated by the algae. Evaporated water will be returned to the pond, minimizing water loss. Adjacent will also be the biodiesel oil “washing” system, and an area for educational exhibits. The minimal energy required for the algae growth and processing will be supplied by solar cells and solar heaters. In the current conception, the algae pond will be approximately 6 inches deep and circle around a central lounge zone. Air-plants and algae-inspired art will also hang in the space, creating a healthful, contemplative atmosphere.
If you are interested and would like to help out, please mail us or come to our upcoming organizational meetings on the development of this playa installation. Enthusiastic algae farmers, educators, engineers, designers and builders are most welcome! To learn more and/or become a contributor to this project, please contact Dr Friendly by emailing
[drfriendly]@[drfriendly].[tv] (remove the [] for the email address).
For more info check these links: http://www.drfriendly.tv single cell solution save-the-world algae farm BM 07 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiesel http://www.greenfuelonline.com/news/algaefuel.pdf http://www.oilgae.com/ http://www.needfulprovision.org/projects/biodiesel.php http://biodiesel.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/frm/f/1501000031 http://www.peswiki.com/index.php/Directory:Biodiesel_from_Algae_Oil
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
End of posting
Thought some of the visitors could be interested in this
Nature gave us oil from algae; perhaps we should try Nature's way again
Oilgae - Oil & Biodiesel from Algae
Oilgae Blog
algOS - Biodiesel from Algae Open Source
About Oilgae - Oilgae - Oil & Biodiesel from Algae has a focus on biodiesel production from algae while also discussing alternative energy in general. Algae present an exciting possibility as a feedstock for biodiesel, and when you realise that oil was originally formed from algae - among other related plants - you think "Hey! Why not oil again from algae!"
The objective of Oilgae is to facilitate exploration of oil production from algae as well as exploration of other alternative energy avenues.
Oil from Plankton ?
Read in some newspapers today, presenting a summaryA Spanish company claimed to have developed a method of breeding plankton and turning the marine plants into oil...the company, Bio Fuel Systems is a wholly Spanish firm, formed this year in eastern Spain after three years of research by scientists and engineers connected with the University of Alicante.
"Bio Fuel Systems has developed a process that converts energy, based on three elements: solar energy, photosynthesis and an electromagnetic field," it said
Bio Fuel Systems said its new fuel would reduce CO2, was free of other contaminants like sulphur dioxide and would be cheaper than fossil oil is now.
"Our system of bioconversion is about 400 times more productive than any other plant-based system producing oil or ethanol," it said, referring to currently available biofuels made from plants like maize or oilseeds.
Bio Fuel Systems has drawn up industrial plans to make the fuel and says it will be able to start continuous production in 14 to 18 months.
End of news
I guess what this article is discussing is nothing but biodiesel production from algae, since the term phytoplanktons is just another commonly used term for microalgae...though they have not specifically mentioned biodiesel but have just said petroleum, I'd imagine they are talking of biodiesel production from algae oil...however, it will be good to hear of any corrections to my thought...
just to get the terminology cleared up:
1. Collectively, phytoplankton are known as microalgae, a designation given to all algae, of which phytoplankton are a part, that are too small to be seen with the naked eye. From what I have read so far, most oil (& biodiesel ) extraction explorations have been with microalgae.
2. The other group of algae that inhabit the seas are the macroalgae, the kelps and fucoids that grow along the shore.
Your comments and feedback are appreciated
NS @ Oilgae - Oil & Biodiesel from Algae
Oilgae.com - Oil & Biodiesel from Algae provides links, provides directory and web links resources for the algae-based biofuels & biodiesel. It is intended to be useful for research, information, inputs, news for buyers, sellers, manufacturers, traders, suppliers, producers, exporters and importers of algal oil and algal fuels. It will make an effort to provide info on biofuel feedstock, algal feedstocks, algae oil info and link, details on fuel from algae, bio-fuel, bio-diesel, bio-fuels, algal oils production and uses, and biofuels trade & market resources, data, statistics such as price, prices, demand-supply for buyer, seller, manufacturer, trader, supplier, exporter and producer
Labels: Algae-CO2-Capture, Algae-Cultivation, Algae-Cultivation-Marine
