Algae Biodiesel Plant Goes Online Next Week

[tinrobot]

PetroSun has announced it will begin operation of its commercial algae-to-biofuels facility on April 1st, 2008.

The facility, located in Rio Hondo Texas, will produce an estimated 4.4 million gallons of algal oil and 110 million lbs. of biomass per year off a series of saltwater ponds spanning 1,100 acres. Twenty of those acres will be reserved for the experimental production of a renewable JP8

Gordon LeBlanc, Jr., CEO of PetroSun had this to say:

“Our business model has been focused on proving the commercial feasibility of the firms’ algae-to-biofuels technology during the past eighteen months. Whether we have arrived at this point in time by a superior technological approach, sheer luck or a redneck can-do attitude, the fact remains that microalgae can outperform the current feedstocks utilized for conversion to biodiesel and ethanol, yet do not impact the consumable food markets or fresh water resources.”

Microalgae have garnered considerable attention, since acre-by-acre microalgae can produce 30-100 times the oil yield of soybeans on marginal land and in brackish water. The biomass left-over from oil-pressing can either be fed to cattle as a protein supplement, or fermented into ethanol.

jet-fuel.http://gas2.org/2008/03/29/first-algae-biodiesel-plant-goes-online-april-1-2008/

[jpak]

1. I've been told algae-to-biofuels schemes were frauds

Guess those people were wrong...

[papau]

3. Pickens does say Algae is a fraud - but he just wants investors for his Wind generated power

[blunorsk]

6. ALGAE...

produces an order of magnitude more triglycerides per acre than oilseeds. It's also a net CO2 consumer and can enjoyably grow on
sewage for fertilizer. It also produces methane.

Energy studies conducted in the nineties
through Govt renewable labs sponsored significant research, but were shuttered in '98 by Republican congress budget. Research
was turned over to industry with subsequent patents cloaked in other energy processes. We can look forward to paying
extra big for what should have been an easy and less expensive transition.

Biodiesel from Algae will not solve the energy picture
by any stretch, but it may be a helpful piece of the puzzle.

[papau]

7. I agree - but Pickens pushes his wind investment - says no money to be made in Algae

[gear_head]

8. wind-electricity does not compete with an oil refinery n/t

[blunorsk]

2. Who has all the startup money?

Red neck can do attitude my ass.
This takes serious money. It's a great idea and I'm sure it works.
They are laughing all the way back to
the oil bank.

[leftupnorth]

4. Can we get three more recs to send this up??!!! This is exciting stuff!!!

[GliderGuider]

5. The plant opens on April 1st, eh?

Hmmm.... That seems strangely appropriate.