Solazyme and BlueFire team up
Basically, BlueFire creates the sugar that feeds Solazyme’s algae in their unique process that doesn’t utilize sunlight to grow the algae. Unlike other algae biofuel companies, Solazyme believes that growing algae through a fermentation process that grows algae in the dark will prove the best growth method. With Solazyme’s process, sugar is the main feedstock and this partnership will help Solazyme successfully commercialize its product.
“Our technologies are a great fit for each other,” stated Arnold Klann, CEO of BlueFire Ethanol Fuels, Inc. “Our patented acid hydrolysis process allows BlueFire Ethanol to utilize a variety of non-food feedstocks to produce sugars that can be used to make a variety of different types of fuels and chemicals. Supplying these low cost sugars to Solazyme’s technology provides them with the option of creating a variety of oils for the renewable energy industry and beyond.”
The venture capitalists behind Solazyme have been critical of its sugar-based process because it adds feedstock costs. However, the company has tried growing algae with sunlight and found that it does not make economic sense. In fact, GreenFuel Technologies, one of its key competitors using sunlight, went under after receiving some $70 million in VC funds. Solazyme is hoping that BlueFire’s low cost feedstocks will help improve its commercial viability.
