Joe Moritz from Davis College of Agriculture, Natural resources and Design, West Virginia University presented his project which is at the quest for a “high quality pellet with minimal environmental impact”. Certain thermal processes can be applied during various stages of pellet production in order to compromise the availability of vitamins and amino acids. The […]

The U.S Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy intends to issue a funding opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled “Targeted Algal Biofuels and Bioproducts“, on behalf of Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO). A multidisciplinary consortium is being employed, in order to improve the value of proposition for algal biofuels. Several strategies focusing crop protection […]

The world’s first electric Grand Prix series will power its cars from algae glycerin. This attempt promises to promote the zero emission technologies. The generators will be powered by glycerin, which is a byproduct, in the production of biodiesel by salt water algae. The obtained fuel is nontoxic; and can also be used to power […]

Despite being major attraction as feedstock, microalgae are not economically feasible player in terms of cultivation cost. A recent research conducted by Guo Z, Liu Y and others focused on an ecofriendly technology for the production of biofuel from microalgae called Platymonas subcordiformis. The microalgae were grown in pretreated flounder aquaculture wastewaters taken from different […]

Algenol, headquartered in Florida, U.S., is one of the hottest companies in the biofuel sector. They utilize engineered strains of cyanobacteria to obtain improved ethanol production.   The company has developed plastic film photobioreactor (PBR), DIRECT TO ETHANOL®, which makes production and collection easier. The PBR is constructed with plastic, enhanced with resins. Various performance metrics […]

Researchers from Korean Institute of Science and Technology and Korean University have developed a technology to produce succinic acid from microalgae, in order to make bioplastics. The researchers used a genetically engineered bacteria Corneybacterium glutamicum that is capable of producing amylase enzyme to disintegrate starch in algal biomass. It is an expensive and complicated process […]

Cerule, an algae nutraceutical company, based in Klamath Falls (Oregon, U.S.), has developed a blue antioxidant named ‘Cyactiv’ with a unique concentration of Phycocyanin and other active compounds derived from blue- green algae.  Cyactiv is a natural product and is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) microalgae product. The composition helps to rebalance the body to […]

ABB, a Zurich based power and automation technology company, is now partnering with Renewable Algal Energy(RAE) at Tennessee, on commercialization of integrated algal production systems that will produce algae- based products for the nutraceutical, animal nutrition and renewable fuel markets. The system has been tested and is likely to be operated in the fourth quarter […]

AkzoNobel,  a Dutch multinational company excelling in the fabrication of specialty chemicals and decorative paints teams up with Solazyme for a fresh venture. The agreement includes a multi- year supply targeting annual supply of upto 10,000 MT of renewable tailored Algal oil by Solazyme. The joint venture is expected to replace the petroleum and palm- oils with […]

Researchers at New Mexico State University devised a method for “Direct conversion of Algal biomass to biofuel”. This technology is announced to receive a United States patent. The underlying concept of the invention is that, under supercritical methanol conditions, the wet algae can be directly converted into crude biodiesel. The funds for the research were […]

A highly sophisticated, multi-vessel photobioreactor (PBR) is developed by the scientists at Cawthron Institute, New Zealand to improve the production of algae products. The Cawthron scientists developed the PBR in response to their industry partner’s needs to optimize the growth conditions of algae species. Further, the scientists are interested in developing the photobioreactor for the […]

Researchers at the University of Toronto, Canada have discovered that yellow light can be used to produce more lipids from algae. One of the major problems concerned with the biofuel collected from algae is its lower energy density. Researchers at this university used a microfluidic device which could screen for certain conditions for algae to […]

William Driscol, Postdoctoral Research Associate I, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Tech Launch Arizona has found a solution to increase the ecological stability of biodiesel producing green algae. He found that co-culturing of certain bio control species can provide anti- predator and anti- competitive effects. This will improve the ecological stability. The production of algal cultures […]

In spite of being potential biofuel source, Microalgae are one of the most nutritious foods. The simple green organisms made their entry into everything, right from animal feed to baby food. Microalgae are photosynthetic and produce oxygen. Marine algae are responsible for creating half the world’s oxygen.  According to Robert Henrikson, CEO of Smart Microfarms […]

Aqua health labs, a new company in Chicago, worked for eight years with a molecular biologist of the University of Chicago to develop an algal strain that has high levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Now they have achieved it in Nannochloropsis oculata algae species. Aqua Health Labs have found a bioavailable and sustainable source of […]

Allma, a Portugal- Microalgae company, has signed partnership with two companies in the food and beverage industries. Allma has agreed to supply its sun- grown Chlorella to Frulact, a Portuguese group that supplies fruit based ingredients to blue- chip food companies globally and sells jams, beverages and smoothies. Collaborating with Allma, Frulact develops ‘bubble tea’ […]

The U.S. food and Drug Administration has approved Spirulina for use in the manufacture of food and beverage as a naturally derived blue colour in U.S. spirulina which was previously used only in candy and chewing gum, is now approved for use in frosting, ice cream, beverage mixes and powders, yogurts, puddings, gelatin, breadcrumbs and […]

Sapphire Energy, pioneering in Green Crude production, signed U.S. – China Eco partnership program with  Sinopec to produce algae- derived renewable crude oil. This is one of the six partnerships between the two countries to work on clean energy, climate change and environmental protections. Sapphire Energy CEO Cynthia Warner on talking about the partnership on […]

The U.S. Department of Energy has announced that Cellana will receive $3.5 million in federal funds to develop more of its products. Cellana is involved in algae- based feedstock for biofuels, animal feed and omega- 3 nutritional oils. Cellana is now funded with the focus on the Energy Department’s goal of producing 2,500 gallons of […]

Solazyme which was originally founded to make low-carbon algal biofuels, has now acquired patent for using the strain of microalgae called Chlorella protothecoides in the treatment of glucose intolerance and diabetes. A 2008 study had already disclosed the benefit of C. protothecoides by resulting in considerable decrease in blood sugar levels after its consumption by the […]

Researchers at the University of Konstanz, Germany developed a transformation process called Isomerizing alkoxycarbonylation. Professor Stefan Mecking from University of Konstanz says that this process can transform the algae oil to a high quality chemical constituent. This will benefit a number of chemical based industries. The professor adds that the algal oil has a different […]

Algae, being the fastest growing organism utilize maximum resource of energy from its environment. Notably 20% increase in algae growth can be 30% profitable for the cultivators. In this regard, John Erricson, CEO of AlgaStar inc, presented a few interesting concepts at 2013 Algae Biomass Summit in Orlando. AlgaStar Inc., is a technology company in […]

Neste Oil Oyj (NES1V), a Finnish oil refiner, agreed to buy algae oil from U.S.-based Renewable Algal Energy to turn into clean diesel. The agreement secures access to industrial volumes of algae oil and will require Renewable Algal to increase its production capacity, Espoo-based Neste said today in a statement. The deal is non-exclusive and […]

The Algae Company has launched a new section called Algae Nutrapedia on its web site. This is a growing section of the web site that will become the hub for all nutraceuticals and health products from algae. As we have mentioned many times at Oilgae, many countries worldwide have started recognizing that more than fuel, algae […]

Despite the hundreds of millions of dollars invested in companies aiming to power the world with pond scum, algae seems to perpetually be the fuel of the future. Now a government-funded consortium hopes to jump-start commercialization of the low-carbon fuel by developing new strains of algae that grow faster as well as creating better technology […]