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Cellulose “whiskers” from tunicates could grow human muscle tissue
Posted On: March 15, 2011Minute whiskers of nanoscale dimensions taken from sea creatures could hold the key to creating working human muscle tissue, University of Manchester researchers have discovered.
Scientists have found that cellulose from tunicates, commonly known as sea squirts, can influence the behaviour of skeletal muscle cells in the laboratory. These nanostructures are several thousand times smaller than muscle cells and are the smallest physical feature found to cause cell alignment.
Alignment is important since a lot of tissue in the body, including muscle, contains aligned fibres which give it strength and stiffness. Cellulose is a polysaccharide – a long chain of sugars joined together – usually found in plants and is the main component of paper and certain textiles such as cotton. It is already being used for a number of different medical applications, including wound dressings, but this is the first time it has been proposed for creating skeletal muscle tissue.
US Congress passes algae biofuel tax credit legislation
Posted On: October 1, 2010The US House of Representatives has passed a new law this week seeking to give algae-based biofuels parity with cellulosic biofuels in federal tax credit programs.
The Algae-based Renewable Fuel Promotion Act (HR 4168) means algae biofuel projects could access a $1.01 per gallon production tax credit and 50% bonus depreciation for biofuel plant property.
The bill sponsored by New Mexico Congressman Harry Teague amended Internal Revenue Codes to expand the cellulosic biofuel definition.
Mary Rosenthal, Executive Director of the Algal Biomass Organization trade group, said: “Today, the House sent an unmistakable message of bipartisan support to the hundreds of companies, scientists, entrepreneurs and government agencies working to accelerate the development of algae-based fuels, which will create jobs, decrease emissions and reduce our nation’s dependence on imported fossil fuels.”
“The passage of this bill is a huge first step towards our goal of creating parity for algae-based biofuels within the tax code and among various other government programs,” added Ms Rosenthal.
The bill’s passage coincided with the start of the 2010 Algal Biomass Summit in Phoenix, Arizona on Tuesday.
Aurora Algae Introduces the Industry’s First Photosynthetic Algae-Based Platform for Pharmaceutical, Food, Fuel and Aquaculture Products
Posted On: September 15, 2010Aurora Algae, formerly Aurora Biofuels, introduced the industry’s first photosynthetic algae-based platform for the production of sustainable, premium products in the pharmaceutical, nutritional supplement, aquaculture and fuels markets.
The announcement officially marks Aurora Algae’s transition from pilot technology development into full-scale commercialization of the Company’s proprietary algae products, including high concentration eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA Omega-3 fatty acids), high-density proteins, fish meal and renewable fuels.
Microalgae Industry Internet Directory Launched
Posted On: September 2, 2010Through genetic engineering many companies and scientists are trying to develop transgenic micro algae for the commercial use. Thus the content of oil or the yield of carotenoids and dyes should be enhanced as well as the production of proteins through micro algae should be facilitated
Furthermore, the biotechnology of micro algae is developing a solution to use micro algae for the commercial production of biodiesel in an industrial scale. At this point, it exists an interface between genetic modifications of micro algae, because the directed production of suitable long-chain hydrocarbons in micro algae could lead to higher yields for the production of bio diesel.
Based on a recent internet search, Prof. Dr. Gerd Kloeck / Professor of Bioprocess Engineering / Hochschule Bremen – Bremen, Germany, presents a list of algae producers and companies currently developing production technology. This list doesn’t claim to be complete yet. It is, however, the most comprehensive web directory of this industry publicly available.
Algenics Signs With Roquette For The Development Of An Innovative Microalgae Strain For High Value Industrial Uses
Posted On: September 1, 2010ALGENICS SAS has announced that it has signed a new cooperation contract with the ROQUETTE Group for the development of an innovative microalgae strain capable of producing high levels of a metabolite for high value industrial uses. The two-year programme is based on the use of ALGENICS’ genetic engineering platform, AlgebiosysTM, and is coupled with the signature of a licensing agreement for use of the technology. The financial terms of the contract have not been disclosed.
US DOE to Host Series of Biomass Program Webinars: Algae Webinar Sept. 8
Posted On: September 1, 2010The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Biomass Program is hosting a Webinar on Wednesday, September 8, 2010, from 2:00–4:30 p.m. EDT entitled “The Promise and Challenge of Algae as a Renewable Source of Biofuels.” This Web conference marks the first in the Biomass Program’s Webinar series, which will cover many of the program’s activities and feature “Hot Topics” discussions relevant to the development of renewable fuels, power, and products from biomass resources.
This Webinar will focus on the program’s approach to algal biofuels research and development and will include presentations from four of its recently funded consortia, comprised of more than 65 partners across the United States. This session will also discuss highlights from the National Algal Biofuels Technology Roadmap, which was released by DOE in June 2010.
The Biomass Program welcomes interested stakeholders from industry, academia, research institutions, government, non-profits, other organizations, and the general public. Presenters include Joanne Morello of DOE’s Biomass Program and representatives from the National Alliance For Advanced Biofuels and Bio-Products (NAABB), the Center for Algae Biotechnology Commercialization (CAB-Comm), the Sustainable Algal Biofuels Consortium (SABC), and Cellana, LLC.
New Jersey Uses Former Landfill Site for Algae Project
Posted On: August 25, 2010A multimillion-dollar ethanol plant is planned for a former landfill site, but members of the community can get a sneak peak of the technology in action next week. Garden State Ethanol will demonstrate extracting the fuel from algae at a prototype site located on Washington Avenue at the old Gentilini Ford building.
The USDA is scheduled to visit Woodbine next Thursday to present a check for $98,000 to begin to transform the landfill into a production facility that could employ as many as 50 people.
The facility is still more than a year away, which is why the prototype is being used to demonstrate the technology next week. “It’s going to take about a year to get permits for the site approved, and we’ll just move from there,” Mayor William Pikolycky said. When the final facility reaches full production, it’s expected that 25 million gallons of ethanol and 10 million gallons of biodiesel will be produced at the site annually.
Rosetta Green and Seambiotic Will Collaborate in the Development of Improved Algal Strains for the Biofuel Industry
Posted On: August 4, 2010Rosetta Green, a company specializing in the identification of unique genes in plants and algae for the cleantech and plant biotech industries and Seambiotic, a company specializing in the growth of algae at industrial scale, announced yesterday that they have signed a collaboration agreement to develop and test improved algal strains for the biofuel industry. According to the agreement, Rosetta Green will be responsible for the development of the strains and Seambiotic will be in charge of large scale algal growth and biofuel production.
The companies will initially focus on increasing the oil content of the algae and producing strains that can better withstand contamination. The companies have formed a joint steering committee that will be responsible for the management and operation of the collaboration. The proof of concept phase of the collaboration is anticipated to last about two years, during which the companies will explore the development of facilities for producing biofuel from algae on an industrial scale.
TNO to Partner on Algae Food Ingredient Extraction Project
Posted On: August 4, 2010TNO and industrial algae producer Ingrepro Renewables B.V. are starting a joint research project to extract food ingredients from algae. These food ingredients are mainly proteins that could be used as a sustainable alternative to meat, and healthy vegetable oils. Additionally, the partners will examine if and how carbohydrates from algae can be used. Currently, most of the initiatives for the use of algae are related to the oil as a potential replacement for fossil fuels.
In the research project, Ingrepro Renewables B.V. is responsible for the algae production and for setting up the biorefinery process. TNO will develop the technologies for extraction and refining the oil, proteins and carbohydrates and will work on the possible applications of the ingredients. This two-year project has a volume of 1.5 million euros, which is largely funded by the Biorefinery encouragement scheme of the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV).
Solazyme Delivers 100% Algal-Derived Renewable Jet Fuel to U.S. Navy
Posted On: July 22, 2010Solazyme, 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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