Farming Algae Microscopically
Up until this point, the only way to get oil out of algae would be to kill the algae and extract the oil. Now, however, there seems to be a process that could get the valuable oil out of algae without actually killing the algae cell itself. This process would theoretically cutting the cost of algae production.
Commercialization of this new technology is at the center of a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement between the Ames Laboratory and Catilin, a nano-technology-based company that specializes in biofuel production. The agreement targets development of this novel approach to reduce the cost and energy consumption of the industrial processing of non- food source biofuel feedstock. The three-year project is being funded with $885,000 from DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, and $216,000 from Catilin and $16,000 from Iowa State University in matching funds.
The so-called “nanofarming” technology uses sponge-like mesoporous nanoparticles to extract oil from the algae. The process doesn’t harm the algae like other methods being developed, which helps reduce both production costs and the production cycle. Once the algal oil is extracted, a separate and proven solid catalyst from Catilin will be used to produce ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) and EN certified biodiesel.
Pretty awesome if they can actually get this up to commercial production scale. However, with any new technology, I will believe it when I see it.
