DENSO Corporation has announced that it will build a large 20,000 sq.mt. test facility in Japan, for the culture of Pseudochoricystis ellipsoidea , an oil-producing microalgae patented by DENSO that can reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The new facility will be used to perform verification tests needed to establish large-scale microalgae cultivation technologies to improve biofuel production […]

Algix LLC and Effekt have created the world’s first algae-derived flexible foams, produced in a patented process using Algix’s dried algae biomass which is GMO free and collected from waste streams across Asia and USA. The new flexible foam is to be sold under the brand name BLOOMTM and it will find its applications in footwear, […]

US FDA has approved Colourcon’s Spirulina extract to be used for pharma pills.  Blue and green colours are difficult to achieve using previously approved natural colourants. Pill colour plays a key role in pharmaceutical branding. It is also important in patient compliance. For generic drugmakers who are trying to make green or blue coloured pills, the […]

Researchers from Duke’s University have received a grant from U.S. Department of Energy to establish a consortium to study the extraction, development and commoditization of various products from algae. The grant is approximately $5.2 million over a period of three years. The main goal of consortium is to find different ways to reduce the cost of […]

An inter-university research team have developed a microalgae based carbon capture technology and established the nation’s largest pilot microalgae farm at a University in Tainan.  The goal of the team is to exhaust emissions and wastewater from factories to breed microalgae and use that to capture carbon dioxide. The researchers have found that 1 kg […]

NREL researchers are conducting an experiment to produce ethylene directly from genetically modified algae.  The experiment was conducted by introducing a gene that coded for ethylene producing enzyme. This allows the organisms to convert carbon dioxide into ethylene. As ethylene is a gas, it can be easily collected.  The CO2 used for this conversion can […]

The first commercial-scale seaweed farm at UK is to open in Argyll off the coast of Scotland soon.  The new facility planned by Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) scientists will be run as a demonstration project to help shape UK’s cultivation sector. Seven native seaweed varieties will be planted at the farm and the […]

Algoid technologies, a supplier of microalgae to the cosmetics industry has decided to launch its own organic skin care line, Alginique by combining marine and freshwater phytoplankton. Marketed as a ‘Morning Rose Facial Elixir’, the 100% organic skin care line has been developed by using phytoplankton, combined with number of essential plant oils, to help […]

Scientists from Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) have identified two new ocean based algal strains that can be used as a source of biofuels for vehicles and aircraft. The two new strains Nannochloropsis oceanica and Chlorella vulgaris have dry-weight oil content of more than 50 percent that makes them as ideal sources of biofuel for vehicles and […]

DSM Nutritional Products Ltd. and Evonik Nutrition have entered into an agreement to manufacture algae based omega-3 fatty acid products for animal nutrition. Under the agreement, the two companies will jointly work on the development of products and their commercialization. Algae-based omega-3 fatty acid products will be a high value, natural and sustainable alternatives to fish […]

Researchers from China and Europe have performed an experiment to analyze the effect of initial biomass specific (IBS) light availability on the production rate of batch microalgal triglycerides from Nannochloropsis sp. cultivated in vertical and horizontal outdoor tubular reactors. The results showed that increasing IBS light availability resulted in higher production rate of IBS-TAG as well as […]

BASF and Solazyme have launched the first commercial surfactant, algal betaine, derived from microalgae oil for use in home and personal care applications. Commercialized under the trade name, Dehyton® AO 45, algal betaine is a betaine surfactant derived from microalgae oil and is a high-performance alternative to amidopropyl betaine. Dehyton® AO 45 is produced with […]