Jul
22 2010

Solazyme Delivers 100% Algal-Derived Renewable Jet Fuel to U.S. Navy

Solazyme, Inc. is helping the U.S. military move closer to powering its planes, ships, tanks and trucks on renewable fuel and has delivered of 1,500 gallons of 100% algae-based jet fuel for the U.S. Navy’s testing and certification program. The U.S. Navy has previously announced the objective to operate at least 50% of its fleet on clean, renewable fuel by 2020, and the delivery fulfills a contract awarded to Solazyme by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) in September 2009.

Solazyme, a renewable oil and green bioproducts company and leader in algal biotechnology, manufactured the world’s first 100% algal-based jet fuel through its proprietary fermentation process in collaboration with renewable jet fuel processing technology from Honeywell’s UOP. Solazyme’s renewable Solajet(TM)HRJ-5 is designed to meet all of the requirements for Naval renewable aviation fuel. In preliminary tests, it also meets the fuel requirements of the U.S. Air Force and meets the standards for commercial jet fuel.

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From Issue 11 • Categories: Tags: algae, alternative energy, Aquapreneur, biofuel, cleantech, marine biotechnology, seaweed, sustainable, technology • No Comments

Apr
20 2010

Algae as a source for electricity

In an electrifying first, Stanford scientists have plugged into algae cells and harnessed a tiny electrical current. They found it at the very source of energy production – photosynthesis, a plant’s method of converting sunlight to chemical energy. It may be a first step toward generating high-efficiency bioelectricity that doesn’t give off carbon dioxide as a byproduct, the researchers say.

“We believe we are the first to extract electrons out of living plant cells,” said WonHyoung Ryu, the lead author of the paper published in the March issue of Nano Letters. Ryu conducted the experiments while he was a research associate for mechanical engineering Professor Fritz Prinz.

The Stanford research team developed a unique, ultra-sharp nanoelectrode made of gold, specially designed for probing inside cells. They gently pushed it through the algal cell membranes, which sealed around it, and the cell stayed alive. From the photosynthesizing cells, the electrode collected electrons that had been energized by light and the researchers generated a tiny electrical current.

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From Issue 10 • Categories: Tags: algae, biofuel, cleantech, seaweed, sustainable, technology • No Comments

Apr
15 2010

Algal Biomass Organization Announces Algae Finance Summit in NY

The Algal Biomass Organization (ABO), the leading trade association for the algae industry, today announced it will be hosting an Algae Finance Summit on May 13^th, 2010 at New York City’s Flatotel. The day-long event will provide investors, analysts and fund managers with the information needed to make informed investment decisions and recommendations regarding opportunities in the fast-developing algae for energy industry.

Key experts, including government regulators and policymakers, algae producers, legal experts and investment professionals, will offer attendees a holistic — and realistic — assessment of the capital needs and financing structures for algae companies and projects, as well as the role of the federal government in regulating the industry and facilitating its growth through funding.

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From Issue 10 • Categories: Tags: algae, alternative energy, Aquapreneur, biofuel, biomass, cleantech, investment • No Comments

Mar
22 2010

Green Star Licenses Algae Biotechnology Prior to Wall Street Auction

Green Star Products, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: GSPI) and its Consortium announced on March 10, 2010, that it will be auctioning the United States licensing rights to a game changing proprietary algae growth biotechnology on September 9, 2010.

Potential bidders who were not interested in the total United States licensing rights to the algae biotechnology have requested licenses for individual U.S. States. To address this new request, this press release is a notice to all bidders that additional licenses have been granted for the States of Utah and Alabama.

Idaho and Missouri where excluded from the original auction because of existing equity holdings of Green Star and its Consortium in these U.S. States.

The auction will now cover the licensing rights for 46 U.S. States.

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From Issue 9 • Categories: Tags: algae, alternative energy, biofuel, cleantech, seafood byproducts, seaweed • No Comments