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Biofuel from algae could compete with oil, according to report

Biotech company says it can make algal biofuel at significantly lower costs by increasing the lipid content of algae.

By John PlattWed, Mar 16 2011 at 10:19 AM EST
 4

Algae Photo: Xalamay/Flickr
 
Biofuels made from algae can be produced in a way that make this energy source cost-competitive with crude oil by increasing the amount of energy algae stores as fat, according to early research from VG Energy, an alternative energy and agricultural biotech company.
 
Algae typically store energy as carbohydrates or fat. But a report (pdf) by biofuels expert John Sheehan suggests that techniques developed by the company to target tumors in humans could change that process — and in the process could increase algae oil output during the production of biofuels.
 
The resulting biodiesel and algae-based jet fuels could be produced at a cost of $94 per barrel, well below the current crude oil price of above $100 a barrel, according to the report by Viral Genetics, of which VG Energy is a subsidiary. Sheehan, a researcher with the Institute on the Environment at the University of Minnesota, is an advisor to Viral Genetics.
 
It's all based on a technique developed by Viral Genetics researcher Dr. Karen Newell-Rogers. According to a report from Energy Boom, Newell-Rogers has been developing molecular techniques "to disrupt tumor metabolism to prevent them from burning fat reserves, making them more susceptible to chemotherapy and radiation." The same switch could force the algae to store energy as fat, which could then be extracted as algal oil.
 
Biofuel researchers have been seeking a technique to accomplish this switch, known as the "lipid trigger," since the 1990s. Algae typically do not produce oil under normal conditions, but they do when they are stressed.
 
Algae are highly valued in biofuels research because of their high growth rate. "Whoever manages to break the trade-off between high growth of algae and high lipid content in the algae will be bringing a game changer to the table," Sheehan told Energy Boom last December.
 
According to a VG Energy press release, the technique increased production of extractable lipid, or fat, by at least 300 percent when applied in the lab. The fat was stored outside the cell walls, making it easier to extract without first killing the algae. The technique also makes as much as 75 percent of the rest of the algae recyclable, further reducing costs.
 
In addition, this technique could also allow greater extraction of Omega-3 fats, also at much lower price than currently marketed processes.
 
Sheehan's report details several ways that algal oil can be produced. VG Energy will study the techniques to try to put its new discovery into practice. The research is being supported by a $750,000 grant through the Texas Emerging Technology Fund, which was created by the Texas legislature in 2005.
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Related Topics: Algae, Biofuels, Green Research, Oil & Gas, Research & Innovation

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anonymous
fatalgae 03/16/2011 15:31 PM

Solar, wind, wave technologies are NEVER going to get the US off of foreign oil. Big Oil has invested billions into the algae industry recently. Algae can go though any pipeline in the US. It's renewable, does not affect the food channel and consumes CO2. Commercial-scale algae plants are starting to be built throughout the US without any gov't subsidies like ethanol or biodiesel. Wastewater can be used to grow algae, so you do not need fertilizer.

anonymous
Durwood M. Dugger 03/16/2011 22:12 PM

You need to read my comment below and then offer some factual rebuttal.

First of all oil companies have not invested billions - they have "commited to spend billions." of which they may have spent a few million. Name one commercial algae oil production facility in the US that is producing algae less expensively than petroleum production cost - the true economic competition test for any alternative energy - especially a supposed direct petroleum replacement. Because when the petroleum.... More

anonymous
Anonymous 03/06/2012 08:22 AM

I have read your facts and with all due respect you must have gotten your numbers from algae researchers. As lonng as they could say 3 things: It's too expensive, cannot be done and we need more research for the last 35 years the DOE gave them grants. 14 congressmen went to the DOE two years ago and askrd for results. There where no results! There is not one algae researcher ant any university that has commercialized anything to date.

On 100 acres algae crude can be made right.... More

anonymous
dduggerbiocepts 03/16/2011 11:19 AM

While algae "lipid trigger" manipulation may, or may not produce a higher over all lipid/cell levels in lipid producing alga, it will not change the fact that all biofuels and especially algae are dependent as primary energy production businesses on non-sustainable/peak petro-chemically derived fertilized and phosphates - the same critical fertilizers used to make modern agricultural production levels possible. Being dependent on the same product you are competing with usually isn't a very.... More

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