Pilot commercial algae to biofuel plant announced in Israel
Inventure Chemical and Seambiotic have announced a joint venture to create a pilot commercial plant which will use algae to produce an array of chemicals and biofuels. The plant uses CO2 as feedstock for the algae. Inventure Chemicals comes into the partnership with knowledge about second-generation biofuel manufacturing, as it has facilities in operation in Seattle, and Seambiotic brings its newly developed strains of microalgae.
These microalgae were developed a process that they call "algae CO2 sequestering" in which the strains were fed with exhaust fumes from their power generator's fumes, giving important yields in algae rich in carbohydrates and fatty acids. The carbs can be used to produce ethanol while the fatty acids can be made into biodiesel. This allows Seambiotic to state that their process not only produces biofuels but also can help coal-fired power generators to meet CO2 reduction mandates. This method could potentially use the self-generated biofuel to make these generators work, closing the loop.
[Source: Seambiotic]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
meme 6:52PM (6/19/2008)
Could. Won't, but could. Liquid fuels are just way too valuable in comparison to solid based fuels. Besides, what a dumb, expensive, inefficient, roundabout way to generate solar power that would be.
Anyways, I doubt this company will be profitable without huge subsidies, as with most other algae farming for fuel, but kudos to them for trying.
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Dad 7:44PM (6/19/2008)
Very good news. Wish them the best of success.
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Neil 7:52PM (6/19/2008)
Profitable? Earlier algae attempts were considered unprofitable at $30/bbl ... but now at $130/bbl ...
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A.Brien 8:31PM (6/19/2008)
Im optimistic it will be profitable and it is a depoluting technology and it's a sustainable solution to produce fuel and foods.
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James Bowe 8:54AM (6/20/2008)
Putting it on the back of a coal plant sounds great, but what does it do with all the mercury that burning coal releases?
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Paul 9:21AM (6/20/2008)
How cool it would be if Israel created a viable energy that replaced the oil of her/our enemies.
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Will 9:20AM (6/20/2008)
Well, it's not exactly DEpolluting - but it would make the previously-stored CO2 do more work before it increases the amount of atmospheric CO2.
That is, so long as the CO2 comes from a fossil source, and so long as the product is to be burned, CO2 is still being released from long-term storage.
I wonder what proportion of the resulting fuel would have to be burned to generate the required CO2 to create the fuel? I guess it could still be quite a large proportion and still create a net gain for the company, so long as the process is not too labour intensive. That process would at least be truly carbon neutral.
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MF 9:36AM (6/20/2008)
Ah, yet one more reason for Iran to want to nuke the Jews. How about this: support biofuel developmetn in Israel, McCain for Prez!
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James 12:07PM (6/20/2008)
Am gald to see Israel start to do this maybe others will do this also.
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armmat 4:05AM (6/21/2008)
Wow some of you Israel shills are real idiots. Learn the history of the region before you that bunch on the pedestal.
LOL...Israel's enemies...man you people are living a super sealed vacuum.
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