Blatant Reality

Here is another article I wrote for Celsias.com. This one looks at Seambiotic, an Israel based algae biofuel company that has had a very successful pilot program operating at a power plant for the past several years.

Seambiotic Ltd. has been in the news a lot with the recent announcement that their subsidiary, Seambiotic USA, will be partnering with NASA to research algae as a source for jet fuels. However, what most people don’t know is that Seambiotic has had an algae pilot study running for the past couple years.

 

In fact, Seambiotic’s pilot study has been running for the past five years in Ashkelon, Israel. This R&D program is comprised of several open ponds totaling 1,000m² at the Israel Electric Corporation power plant at Ashkelon. In addition to the CO₂ in the ambient air, the pilot study’s open air ponds have some of the CO₂ emissions from the power plant pumped directly into them.

 

Professor Ami Ben-Amotz, Chief Advisor at Seambiotic, explained how much CO₂ their pilot program has been able to capture:

 

“Our operating unit is [an] experimental pilot plant of 1,000m² pond area and as such is not aimed to capture [a] large quantity of CO₂ but to study the potential of algal biotechnology to scrub CO₂ out of coal burning flue gas. We grow the algae in low cost open ponds. The present experimental ratio of CO₂ capture shows 5g CO₂/ 1g algae (Dry Weight), or as equivalent to 100 g CO₂ uptake/m²/day. On scale-up the ratios will be maintained to any area and location.”

 

While this may be a small amount of CO₂ when you consider that some of the largest power plants can emit roughly 55,000 tons of CO₂ a day, Seambiotic’s algae ponds have the ability to scale up to whatever size is needed without losing the ratios of CO₂ uptake.

 

As with most pilot programs, one would expect to run into some problems. However, Ben-Amotz said that Seambiotic’s pilot study has had “surprisingly, no basic problems” over the past several years of operation. In fact, the pilot study has run so well that when asked whether or not he felt the study had been a success, Ben-Amotz answered with an emphatic “YES”.

 

Seambiotic also feels that the pilot study results have shown that “any site and any part of the globe are suitable” for their growth technology. They have also developed several marketable uses in addition to a biofuel source for the algae they have grown such as animal feed, food for human consumption, and human health supplements.

 

One of the hurdles remaining for large scale algae production is creating an economically feasible growth system. The results from the Ashkelon study have shown that Seambiotic’s growth model is economically feasible for “a basket of valuable products” like those mentioned above. With the partnership between Seambiotic USA and NASA, they expect to increase the economic feasibility of their algae growth system.

 

“We expect that the results of the cooperation with NASA will increase algal productivity (per area) to make algal bio-fuel significantly feasible,” Ben-Amotz said.

 

The success of Seambiotic’s pilot study is very important for the algae biofuel field as a whole. This study is one of the longest running studies that couples CO₂ emissions with algae production. The apparent success and future expansion of Seambiotic through its partnership with NASA is a great signal to other companies looking to enter the algae biofuel fray. Perhaps it was Seambiotic’s success that gave Exxon Mobil the final push to invest $600 million in algae research.

In yet another major breakthrough, OriginOil has developed a process that allows oil to be extracted from algae cells without killing the individual cells. If I am correctly understanding the process, this will not only save energy but it should cut down on oil production times as well.

Here is a picture of the process:

Here is the complete press release from OriginOil:

OriginOil Announces Breakthrough Process for Live Algae Oil Extraction

 

Algae ‘milking’ promises new efficiencies as part of a combined production cycle

 

LOS ANGELES–OriginOil, Inc. (OOIL), the developer of a breakthrough technology to transform algae, the most promising source of renewable oil, into a true competitor to petroleum, today announced that it has succeeded in extracting algae oil on a continuous basis without cell sacrifice. This new ‘milking’ process will join the company’s Cascading Production™ technique to create a combined cycle promising new efficiencies.

 

Live Extraction™, or milking, is inherently efficient because it achieves continuous production of algae oil without destroying the algae cell. Therefore a single algae cell can produce more oil during its lifetime using lower amounts of energy. Unlike other approaches to live extraction, OriginOil’s process does not employ expensive consumables such as reverse osmosis membranes; furthermore, it is not limited to oil-bearing algae strains, such as Botryococcus braunii, that are known to excrete algae oil naturally.

 

Algae typically protect their oil behind a tough cell wall. The challenge of live extraction is to harvest the oil without causing permanent damage to the cell. This goal has been achieved in the laboratory at bench scale and is now being scaled up to OriginOil’s intermediate 200-gallon tank size. A diagram illustrates the process at www.originoil.com/technology/live-extraction.html.

 

The company recently filed for patent protection of the new Live Extraction process, its ninth patent application, entitled “Procedure for Extraction of Lipids from Algae without Cell Sacrifice.” “Live Extraction works by stimulating the algae cells through specific electrical modulations,” Riggs Eckelberry, OriginOil’s CEO, said. “The challenge is how to keep the cells alive while continuously extracting the oil, and we have achieved this.”

 

“We are pleased with the results we are getting from conventional harvesting,” said Vikram Pattarkine, PhD, OriginOil’s CTO. “We expect the new Live Extraction process to coexist with our daily ‘destructive’ process to create an even more efficient combined cycle.”

 

Aside from any production gains, combining the two processes is desirable because algae cultures must be refreshed regularly to remove waste toxins. Cascading Production supports Live Extraction by removing a percentage of the culture every day, refreshing the environment and giving the algae culture space to grow.

 

Following Exxon Mobil’s recent announcement of a $600 million investment in San Diego- based Synthetic Genomics, Paul Reep, senior technical adviser and one of the inventors, noted: “Live lipid extraction is especially beneficial when used with algae that have been genetically engineered for faster growth rate or higher lipid yields. By integrating Live Extraction into our process, we are providing a technology platform for companies like Synthetic Genomics that are experimenting with genetic improvements.”

New Zealand’s Aquaflow has teamed up with Solray Energy to purify water using algae and use the algae to create fuel that could potentially run in your cars. Check out the press release:

A total algae to energy solution announced

 

New Zealand: Solray Energy and Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation have agreed to work together to speed up their capability to clean polluted water using microalgae, which when harvested is used immediately as a feedstock for ‘next’ generation bio fuel.

 

The purpose of the collaboration is to reconstitute two of the world’s most rapidly depleting resources ‘new’ water, and ‘drop in’ transport ‘bio fuels’.

 

Aquaflow has developed low cost, low energy, commercial technologies to harvest and store significant daily tonnages of micro algae, and in addition a wide variety of uses for such harvested algae.

 

Solray has developed a reactor and extraction process to detoxify algae resulting in crude oil and other co-products. The crude oil is capable of being refined to drop in biofuels, such as bio petrol and bio diesel. The new reactor can process several tonnes of harvested microalgae per day.

 

The companies say there is an insatiable global demand for clean water, reduction of nitrogen and phosphates which have seriously degraded aquatic ecosystems, and post ‘peak oil’ a need for renewable biofuels from waste.

 

There is a rapidly growing global market in arid countries such as the Western USA and Australia for ‘new’ water and biofuels.

 

www.solrayenergy.com
www.aquaflowgroup.com

OriginOil has developed a new lighting system for their algae growth tanks. This system offers a self-adjusting control system that ensures the algae received what kind of live it needs when it needs it.

OriginOil Announces Breakthrough Dynamic Lighting Process

 

Bio-feedback Process Controller Optimizes Algae Growth and Daily Harvesting Rates

 

Los Angeles, CA July 15, 2009 – OriginOil, Inc. (OOIL), the developer of a breakthrough technology to transform algae, the most promising source of renewable oil, into a true competitor to petroleum, today announced a breakthrough Dynamic Control System designed to respond continuously to the algae’s behavior. This invention improves energy efficiency and growth rates by ensuring the right types and amounts of light are used at all times as the algae grows to maturity.

 

“This is a true bio-feedback system,” said Scott Fraser, VP Operations and one of the inventors of the process. “The algae lets the controller know what it needs as it needs it, creating a self-adjusting growth system.”

 

At the heart of the system is a programmable controller that receives information from multiple sensor types reading the algae culture. The controller, which can be programmed for specific algae strains, responds by sending out commands to change lighting parameters such as intensity, pulsing frequency, and duty cycle. OriginOil’s existing automation of the nutrient delivery process [video] will be integrated in the final version of the Dynamic Control System.

 

“We are currently using the new Dynamic Control System to test many lighting variations such as concentration, angles, distribution, and pulsing intervals,” said Dr. Vikram Pattarkine, OriginOil CTO. “We expect this study to yield a wealth of data about what works best in algae lighting.”

 

For photos of the new LED designs, please go to http://www.originoil.com/technology/helix-bioreactor.html.

I wrote an article the other day for Celsias.com about a zoo installing a vertical farming system to help offset the costs of food. This isn’t a normal topic for my but the idea of vertical farms is pretty interesting and if it proves economically feasible, may totally revolutionize the way we view farming.

Anyways, here is my article on Valcent Products’ Verticrop system being installed at the Paignton Zoo.

When you go to the zoo, it can be fascinating to see the zookeeper feed the zoo’s many inhabitants. However, I doubt many have ever considered just how expensive it is to feed all the zoo’s residents on a daily basis. One zoo located in the UK has considered their £200,000/year food bill and have opted for a new economically and environmentally friendly solution.

 

Valcent Products has partnered with the UK’s Paignton Zoo to install their Verticrop growing system. Verticrop is a vertical farming system that offers both economical and environmental incentives which will help to cut back the zoo’s overall food costs.

 

These growth systems consist of trays that are connected to overhead tracks that rotate on a closed loop conveyor. During the rotation, the trays pass through feeding stations that provide the necessary water and minerals. The rotations also allow for even airflow and equal exposure to light for all the plants.

 

These systems have the potential to save the zoo a good deal of money. With the zoo’s inhabitants consuming almost 800 carrots a day and almost £8,000 of fruit a month, the zoo benefits from the ability to grow food on the premises. For example, a Verticrop system can produce 20 times more food and use only 5-10% of water and nutrient requirements of traditional crops. Increased production and reduced consumption should save the zoo money especially when you add in transportation costs of traditional crops.

 

In the partnership with the Paignton Zoo, Valcent Products is providing the vertical farming system and the zoo is providing the land. However, neither is looking for this partnership to be a money making venture. Rather, this pilot program will help Valcent showcase its technology while Paignton Zoo reaps the benefits of a lower grocery bill.

 

These systems have a much wider application than just the zoo food industry. A recent Cleantech article pointed out that these systems are perfect for harsh climates like the Middle East where they don’t have the right soil or enough water to grow certain crops traditionally. However, with vertical farming technologies like Verticrop that use extremely small amounts of water and nutrients, increased farming could be brought to these regions. Chris Bradford, Managing Director of Valcent Products, verifies that nearly half of his customer inquiries are coming from people in these areas.

 

Valcent Products isn’t the only group looking into the vertical farming idea. The Vertical Farm Project is devoted to helping bring about skyscraper farms. The organizations founder, Dickson Despommier, is recognized as having first developed the concept of vertical farms.

 

The ability to grow crops locally and in the heart of major cities should appeal to almost everyone. Tthe ability of these farms to rely on very small amounts of nutrients and water and still produce more food per acre than traditional methods makes these farms cost affective. However, vertical farming is still in its infancy and more pilot programs like Valcent’s at the Paignton Zoo will be needed before we see overall industry adoption.

In another partnership that signals the big names in energy are finally looking at algae, Exxon Mobil has announce a potential $600 million deal with Synthetic Genomics. If my memory serves me correctly, this is the largest investment in algae from one company up until this point.
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Click here for more on Exxon’s partnership

Dr. Richard Sayre of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center conducted an interview stating that Midwest summers are more conducive for algae growth than regions like the American Southwest.

Sayre says cost is one of the biggest issues to overcome as algae biodiesel right now costs about $4 a gallon. But he believes that with some better technology, in the ponds and in the actual algae cells, that cost could be down to just $2 a gallon… comparable to non-renewable petroleum. And Sayre says algae doesn’t have to be grown in the Midwest, where winters are tougher than more algae-traditional areas, such as the desert areas of the American Southwest. The more moderate summers of the Midwest are actually more conducive to algae growth, and the area obviously has more water, vital for algae. Finally, Sayre says there are techniques, such as harvesting the CO2 and heat from coal-powered plants to keep the ponds clear of ice even in the coldest of winters.

The article also includes an audio clip of Sayre so take a listen if you have a chance.

U.S. Senator Patty Murray has included $2 million in the 2010 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill for algae biofuel research at Washington State University.

However, I don’t know if Senator Murray views this as a good thing or not. Take a look at this quote:

This funding will support cutting-edge research that will create jobs and continue to position Washington state as a leader in the clean energy economy,” said Senator Patty Murray. “It provides a shot in the arm for Washington state biofuels research, and will help our country move toward cleaner and more efficient energy use.”

Shot in the arm? I’m guessing she’s referring to a medical shot but I’ve never heard the phrase “shot in the arm” in a positive light.

In yet another partnership that will surely help bring algae to the forefront, NASA has partnered with Seambiotic USA to grow algae for aviation fuel.

An agreement to develop a collaborative R&D program for optimizing the open-pond microalgae growth processes has been signed between NASA Glenn Research Center and Seambiotic USA. Under the agreement, the two companies will work together to improve production processes and to study and qualify algae oil from alternative species and production processes as candidate aviation fuel at NASA’s test facilities.

 

“Under a Space Act Agreement, NASA is partnering with Seambiotic USA to model growth processes for microalgae for use as aviation biofuel feedstock,” said Prof. Ami Ben-Amotz, Chief Scientific Adviser to Seambiotic. “The goal of the Agreement is to make use of NASA’s expertise in large scale computational modeling and combine it with Seambiotic’s biological process modeling to make advances in biomass process cost reduction.”

Here is an article from CleanTech discussing the same partnership.

I hope everyone has a very happy 4th of July. Be safe and remember all those who have sacrificed to keep our country safe for 233 years!