South Africa Demonstrates Algae-to-Energy Technology
Innovative technology that uses algae to convert waste coal dust into a clean, high-quality coal which can readily be processed into biofuel was publicly demonstrated at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth on Monday.
The pioneering technology has been developed by the university over the past three years with funding from the Department of Science and Technology, and plans are afoot for its products to be commercialised, the university said in a statement ahead of Monday’s showcasing event.
One of the main areas of research at university’s institute of chemical technology, InnoVenton, has been the conversion of waste coal into a usable, high-quality clean coal using algal biomass. The institute’s researchers have found that the microalgae can be combined with coal and charcoal and acts as an excellent binder for fine coal.
Read more: http://www.southafrica.info/about/science/coalgae-300114.htm#.Uw2iAPmSxic#ixzz2uPivfw16
