Search
News Archive
Categories
University of Toronto student gets financial boost for top spot in a national automotive R&D competition utilizing marine-derived Chitin
Posted On: February 3, 2012A new biodegradable material made from shrimp and crab shells that can replace petroleum-based plastics used in auto components helped a University of Toronto student win a national automotive competition. Aaron Guan, a master of science student, won the AUTO21 TestDRIVE competition, receiving a $10,000 scholarship for his work on recyclable, lightweight, polymeric nanocomposites.
Shrimp and crab shell fibres called chitin nanowhiskers form the base of this new material, which would allow automotive components to meet strict environmental standards without compromising vehicle safety. This material has a much higher strength-to-weight ratio compared to conventional plastics used in most automotive components, and provides higher mechanical strength without aesthetic flaws or deformation at lower densities.
Due to the composite nature of the material, mechanical properties can easily be engineered to suit various strength, stiffness and weight requirements simply by varying the combination of chitin nanowhisker and polymer content. The material is also completely renewable and sustainable as chitin nanowhiskers are derived from the waste of the fishing industry.
Algae.Tec Successfully Completes $5m Capital Raising With Patersons Securities
Posted On: February 3, 2012Algae.Tec Ltd has announced that the AUD$5,000,000 (USD$5,354,086.97) Placement through Patersons Securities Limited has been successfully completed.
As previously stated, this capital raising will be utilised to fund the fast-tracking of commercial projects recently announced.
Algae.Tec Executive Chairman, Roger Stroud, said the Company was extremely pleased with the capital raising.
“This again demonstrates that sophisticated investors are aligned with the need for alternative transport fuel technologies such as the Algae.Tec enclosed algae to biofuels solution,” said Stroud.
“The market is also responding to the recent milestones and commercial deal announcements the Company has signed with major companies in China, Sri Lanka and Europe.”
AURORA ALGAE SET TO RAISE $100M
Posted On: January 31, 2012The company’s Western Australia operation in Karratha is planned to be increased from the initial 100 hectares of commercial operation to 400 hectares in the next stage, and then 1000 hectares.
Aurora Algae began operations in Karratha mid last year and now has its sights on raising $100 million after hitting the $22 million mark a few months ago.
The $22 million has left the company fully funded until its next expansion phase of harvesting algae-based biomass for products in the nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, aquaculture and renewable energy markets.
The company is looking to raise $100 million from existing and new private investors by mid-year, and is aligning at an IPO later in the year.
UC Davis and University of Tokyo collaborating on algae biofuels project
Posted On: January 22, 2012A better understanding of how algae can be used to make biofuels is the aim of a new joint project between UC Davis and the University of Tokyo, Japan. It is one of four new grants, jointly funded by the US National Science Foundation and the Japan Science and Technology Agency, to develop environment-friendly fuels and reduce pesticide use.
The four grants, totaling $12 million (¥960 million), will be divided between the Japanese and US laboratories. UC Davis’ share will be about $1.5 million over three years, with the possibility of renewal for another two years.
All four projects are based on metabolomics, an approach that uses high-tech analysis to understand all the chemicals involved in a living cell’s metabolism.
OriginOil and DOE to Develop Direct Conversion of Algae into Renewable Crude Oil Source
Posted On: January 22, 2012Good news on the algae-to-oil front has been released by Los Angeles-based OriginOil, Inc., in conjunction with the US Department of Energy. The company will work in partnership with Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to help algae growers to enter the global crude oil market.
OriginOil, a developer of a technology platform to extract oil from algae, reports that it plans to co-develop an integrated system with the DOE’s INL for direct conversion of raw algae into a renewable crude oil that can be used by existing petroleum refineries.
Algae-based fuels a growing business in New Mexico
Posted On: January 22, 2012Sapphire Energy Inc., which uses a proprietary process to turn algae oil into renewable gasoline to replace fossil fuels at the pump, broke ground last June on a 300-acre commercial demonstration facility in Columbus.
In Hobbs, in the heart of southeast New Mexico’s oil patch, Massachusetts-based Joule Unlimited Inc. broke ground this fall on a five-acre site that will use concentrating-solar biorefineries to extract ethanol and diesel from bacteria in salt-water mixed with carbon dioxide.
United States Patent and Trademark Office issues patent to Heliae
Posted On: January 12, 2012Heliae, an Arizona-based algae technology company, announced today three significant additions to its expanding portfolio of intellectual property.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office issued patent number 8,084,038 to Heliae entitled “Methods of and Systems for Isolating Nutraceutical Products from Algae” on December 27, 2011. Heliae has received a Notice of Allowance from the USPTO for two additional patent applications focused on Heliae’s breakthrough extraction technology. These patents are expected to issue in the first half of February.
ArcticZymes establishes US subsidiary
Posted On: January 12, 2012ArcticZymes AS announced today the formation of ArcticZymes Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary located in Plymouth Meeting, PA. ArcticZymes AS is a subsidiary of Biotec Pharmacon, focusing on enzymes for use in molecular biology and diagnostics.
“The formation of a U.S. based subsidiary is a key milestone for our company and our B2B and OEM customers in North America. Our intention is to facilitate our end users’ research by providing access to our products and technical support in an effective and productive manner,” said Jan Buch Andersen, Managing Director of ArcticZymes AS.
GlycoMar awarded grant for collaboration with MicroA of Norway
Posted On: January 5, 2012The UK Technology Strategy Board today announced funding of a collaboration between GlycoMar and MicroA of Norway for the pilot scale production of one of GlycoMar’s biologically active polysaccharides from a marine microalga using MicroA’s patented photobioreactor technology.
The project will use MicroA’s recently patented PBR technology as the scale-up platform for GlycoMar’s microalgal polysaccharide product development. MicroA will use their pilot scale system to optimise growth conditions for maximum algal polysaccharide production. GlycoMar will optimise downstream processing to maximise recovery of the target product. The project will establish the commercial viability of full-scale production. Success of the project will be an important milestone for both partner companies and the wider biotechnology and microalgae industries, and will lead to commercialisation as a high value natural skin care ingredient within 3 years.
Algae biofuel pilot plant construction starts
Posted On: December 27, 2011The Biotechnology Consortium (Bal Biofuels) began the construction of the Experimental Centre of Algae (CEA) in Puerto Montt Campus of the University of Los Lagos. The plant is expected to be operational from August next year.
The proponents of the initiative plan to develop technology to produce advanced biofuels and high added value chemicals with low emissions of carbon dioxide and low cost, using native giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) farmed in a sustainable manner.
Host
 |
Partners
  |
Sponsors
 |
 |
Share Aquapreneur
