Oil From Algae
Solix Biofuels Inc., a startup company based in Boulder, is working with Colorado State University engineers to commercialize technology that can cheaply mass produce oil derived from algae and turn it into biodiesel.
Algae are the fastest growing organisms on the planet, and can produce 100 times more oil per acre than conventional soil-tilled crops that are now being grown for biofuel use – now they just have to create the technology to harness that potential.
Solix officials plan to commercialize the technology over the next two years. After ramping up to widespread production, the company expects to eventually compete commercially with the wholesale price of crude petroleum.
Bryan Willson, director of Colorado State’s Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory, is pictured inspecting algae colonies. “This process harnesses photosynthesis to turn carbon dioxide and energy captured from the sun into an economical petroleum substitute,” he says.
Solix officials estimate that widespread construction of its photo-bioreactor system could meet the demand for the U.S. consumption of diesel fuel – about 4 million barrels a day – by growing algae on less than 0.5 percent of the U.S. land area, which is otherwise unused land adjacent to power plants and ethanol plants. The plants produce excess carbon dioxide, which is necessary to turn algae into oil. In addition to producing biodiesel, the process would prevent a large portion of the greenhouse gases produced by coal-burning power plants from being expelled directly into the atmosphere.
Lots more from Colorado State – including pictures, audio and video.
5 Comments »
Mark Fitzwater
I think this could be the most significant project undertaken in many years. I think that if you could look at it from an angle of uptaking the nutrients in Wastewater Effluent as well as an end use of Biodiesel it will be much more accepted by people with closed minds. Full steam ahead.
» Alternative Fuel News - Oil From Algae - The Biodiesel Blog
[...] Solix Biofuels Inc., a startup company based in Boulder, is working with Colorado State University engineers to commercialize technology that can cheaply mass produce oil derived from algae and turn it into biodiesel. Algae are the fastest growing organisms on the planet, and can produce 100 times more oil per acre than conventional soil-tilled crops […] Read more… [...]
Bobby Patel
Hi everyone!
which algae do you use to grown. and has high oil content. Most important is that how do get oil out from algae. any small scale plan may be help full to me
thank so much
Bobby Patel
Matt Scholz
Algae aren’t even close to the fastest growing organisms on the planet–not even in the top 100. Common bacteria like e.coli are much faster. Even yeast is faster in most scenarios.
Reed Vonhold
I am very interested in building a network of growers here in Florida. pattern after the system used by our independant dairy producers accross the country.
My goal is for our American farmers to utillize otherwise unusable land for the production of the oil we now burn for all of our transportation needs.
Something that I have not heard mentioned yet, is the effect this will have on our health care industry.
Farmers would all become “ORGANIC”.
Using the non oil waste from separation, the farmer would be producing his own fertillizer.
The end result would be healthier crops, that are more disease resistant.
The food grown would develop stronger bodies, and therefore lessen demand on our health care system.
One more added bennifit is the decentrallization of production.
Many small targets are difficult to eliminate while one big target makes us more vulnerable.
Florida has many acres of land and a neverending growing season.
I have also seen a verticle system for growing algae that could prove to grow all of our oil on a miniscule portion of the land currently estimated for this purpose.
Thank you for your attention.
Reed Vonhold (Imagineer)
Comments RSS feed — TrackBack URI
Leave a Comment