Catilin Inc and Iowa State University Converts Algae to Fuel
Catilin Inc. announced a three-year, $5.3 million project as part of a $44 million U.S. DOE award made to Catilin’s consortium, National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts. Catilin and its partner, Iowa State University-Center for Catalysis, will provide key extraction, sequestration and conversion technologies. Catilin and ISU-CCAT will use mesoporous nanoparticles to selectively extract and sequester targeted fuel-relevant and high-value compounds within algal lipid mixtures. The balance of the algal oil, which contains free fatty acids and triglycerides, will be converted to biodiesel using Catilin’s commercially available T300 catalyst. The pilot-scale work will be completed at Catilin’s currently operating 300,000 gallon per year pilot plant.
