Biodiesel from algae
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Biodiesel from algae
http://jalopnik.com/397266/algae-die...weekend-bender
Sounds more interesting than the usual eureka! moments... Didn't see this posted anywhere.
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA - June 27, 2008: Solazyme announced recently that SoladieselRDTM , a microalgae-derived renewable diesel, has passed American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D-975 specifications. SoladieselRDTM is the first algal-based renewable diesel to meet these standards.
In a 100% blend, SoladieselRDTM has been road tested in a factory standard 2005 Jeep Liberty diesel. The fuel's chemical composition is identical to that of standard petroleum based diesel, and SoladieselRDTM is fully compatible with the existing transportation fuel infrastructure. Having fewer particulate emissions, SoladieselRDTM also has a more desirable environmental footprint than standard petro-diesel. In addition, it meets the new ASTM ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD) standards.
"This now marks the production of our second fuel that meets current U.S. fuel specifications and is an important validation of our proprietary process using microalgae to produce renewable fuels," said Jonathan Wolfson, chief executive officer of Solazyme. "Solazyme's leadership in the green fuels space will continue to grow as we now execute on our strategy for commercial launch."
The only advanced biofuels company producing at scale, Solazyme implements a unique microbial fermentation process that allows algae to produce oil in massive vessels quickly, efficiently and without sunlight. The process can utilize many forms of non-food feedstocks, including waste glycerol and many cellulosic materials including wood chips, corn stover and switchgrass. The resulting oils can be leveraged across a wide variety of industries and applications, including fuels, edible oils and chemicals and are completely biodegradable, nontoxic and safe.
Sounds more interesting than the usual eureka! moments... Didn't see this posted anywhere.
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA - June 27, 2008: Solazyme announced recently that SoladieselRDTM , a microalgae-derived renewable diesel, has passed American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D-975 specifications. SoladieselRDTM is the first algal-based renewable diesel to meet these standards.
In a 100% blend, SoladieselRDTM has been road tested in a factory standard 2005 Jeep Liberty diesel. The fuel's chemical composition is identical to that of standard petroleum based diesel, and SoladieselRDTM is fully compatible with the existing transportation fuel infrastructure. Having fewer particulate emissions, SoladieselRDTM also has a more desirable environmental footprint than standard petro-diesel. In addition, it meets the new ASTM ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD) standards.
"This now marks the production of our second fuel that meets current U.S. fuel specifications and is an important validation of our proprietary process using microalgae to produce renewable fuels," said Jonathan Wolfson, chief executive officer of Solazyme. "Solazyme's leadership in the green fuels space will continue to grow as we now execute on our strategy for commercial launch."
The only advanced biofuels company producing at scale, Solazyme implements a unique microbial fermentation process that allows algae to produce oil in massive vessels quickly, efficiently and without sunlight. The process can utilize many forms of non-food feedstocks, including waste glycerol and many cellulosic materials including wood chips, corn stover and switchgrass. The resulting oils can be leveraged across a wide variety of industries and applications, including fuels, edible oils and chemicals and are completely biodegradable, nontoxic and safe.
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http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008...s_solazyme.php
Originally Posted by article
The number 2 oil producer in the USA, Chevron, has signed an agreement with San Francisco based startup Solazyme to develop and test an industrial process for deriving biodiesel from algae. The Solazyme process is reported to solve one of the major obstacles to industrial production of biodiesel from algae. Algae usually rely on photosynthesis for energy to consume CO2 and produce oils. Biodiesel can be harvested from the algae, which can be composed of up to 50% oily matter. But getting sunlight to the algae in industrial-scale processes is difficult. So how does Solazyme solve the problem?
By growing a special strain of algae in the dark. Harrison Dillon, President and CEO of Solazyme, claims that algae are 1000 times more efficient at producing oils from sugar compared to growth by sunlight. Gas 2.0 questions whether using sugar to produce biodiesel makes sense. Why not just produce ethanol-based fuels directly from the sugars? The inconclusive conclusion: Solazyme will combine cellulosic-ethanol processing, which uses sugars that are not part of the human food supply, with their algal process. This avoids the use of fuels required for conversion and distillation of alcohol-based fuel. Inconclusive, because details on the efficiencies of the process are not disclosed. But in theory, Solazyme's claim may have merit. Distillation is an energy-intensive process.
Solazyme demonstrated their "Soladiesel" fuel at Sundance 2008, tooling around Park City, Utah in a Soladiesel-powered Mercedes Benz C320 Diesel, allegedly an off-the-floor model (Mercedes did not participate in the gimmick). The stunt coincided with the premier of Josh Tickell's film Fields of Fuel, a documentary about renewable fuel.
Solazyme joins the likes of Algae Biofuels, Oil Fox, and GreenFuel in the quest for a better biodiesel.
By growing a special strain of algae in the dark. Harrison Dillon, President and CEO of Solazyme, claims that algae are 1000 times more efficient at producing oils from sugar compared to growth by sunlight. Gas 2.0 questions whether using sugar to produce biodiesel makes sense. Why not just produce ethanol-based fuels directly from the sugars? The inconclusive conclusion: Solazyme will combine cellulosic-ethanol processing, which uses sugars that are not part of the human food supply, with their algal process. This avoids the use of fuels required for conversion and distillation of alcohol-based fuel. Inconclusive, because details on the efficiencies of the process are not disclosed. But in theory, Solazyme's claim may have merit. Distillation is an energy-intensive process.
Solazyme demonstrated their "Soladiesel" fuel at Sundance 2008, tooling around Park City, Utah in a Soladiesel-powered Mercedes Benz C320 Diesel, allegedly an off-the-floor model (Mercedes did not participate in the gimmick). The stunt coincided with the premier of Josh Tickell's film Fields of Fuel, a documentary about renewable fuel.
Solazyme joins the likes of Algae Biofuels, Oil Fox, and GreenFuel in the quest for a better biodiesel.
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Just harvest it from here and solve two problems...
http://www.tulane.edu/~bfleury/envir...b/DeadZone.htm
http://www.tulane.edu/~bfleury/envir...b/DeadZone.htm
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