IBP’s Algal Fuel A Success
May 11th was a big day for the Independence Bio-Products company. Its algal jet-fuel was tested by the Air Force Research Laboratory at the Wright Patterson Air Force Base and was found out to be identical to the fuel obtained from other sources like Jatropha, Soybeans and Camelina. This achievement is a part of a federally funded project that focuses on the Algae to Fuels Technology (ATF). IBP has used is patented technology to grow the algae in open ponds through three stages viz., selecting suitable strains, developing unique cultivation systems and strategies.
IBP had successfully produced algal biomass at low cost from its pilot plant using raceway ponds in Belmont County, Ohio. Algae were cultivated even during winter by heating the ponds using IBP’s patent pending system. The algae oil was upgraded to fuel by Applied Research Associates (ARA) of Panama City, FL using a catalytic hydrothermolysis (CH) process to convert the plant triglycerides to pure hydrocarbons very similar to their petroleum counterparts.
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