(Washington, DC, June 28, 2010) – The U.S. Department of Energy announced today the investment of up to $24 million for three research groups to tackle key hurdles in the commercialization of algae-based biofuels. The selections will support the development of a clean, sustainable transportation sector – a goal of the Department’s continued effort to spur the creation of the domestic bio-industry while creating jobs. Developing cost-effective renewable transportation fuels is a key component of the Administration’s strategy to cut greenhouse gas emissions and move the Nation toward energy independence.
“Partnerships such as these focus the creative powers of the public, private, and academic sectors on key challenges facing the development of renewable energy for transportation,” said Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Cathy Zoi. “The United States must find effective ways to hasten the development of technologies for advanced biofuels made from algae and other renewable resources to reduce our need for foreign sources of oil.” Zoi made the announcement while speaking today at the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) 2010 World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing.
The consortia consist of partners from academia, national laboratories, and private industries that are based across the country, broadening the geographic range and technical expertise of DOE partners in the area of algal biofuels. Projects are expected to continue for a period of three years. Together, they represent a diversified portfolio that will help accelerate algal biofuels development with the objective of significantly increasing production of affordable, high-quality algal biofuels that are environmentally and economically sustainable.
The three consortia selected for funding are:
Sustainable Algal Biofuels Consortium (Mesa, AZ) – Led by Arizona State University, this consortium will focus on testing the acceptability of algal biofuels as replacements for petroleum-based fuels. Tasks include investigating biochemical conversion of algae to fuels and products, and analyzing physical chemistry properties of algal fuels and fuel intermediates. (DOE share: up to $6 million)
Consortium for Algal Biofuels Commercialization (San Diego, CA) – Led by the University of California, San Diego, this consortium will concentrate on developing algae as a robust biofuels feedstock. Tasks include investigating new approaches for algal crop protection, algal nutrient utilization and recycling, and developing genetic tools. (DOE funding: up to $9 million)
Cellana, LLC Consortium (Kailua-Kona, HI) – Led by Cellana, LLC, this consortium will examine large-scale production of fuels and feed from microalgae grown in seawater. Tasks include integrating new algal harvesting technologies with pilot-scale cultivation test beds, and developing marine microalgae as animal feed for the aquaculture industry. (DOE funding: up to $9 million)
National Algal Biofuels Technology Roadmap
Despite algae’s potential, many technical and economic challenges must be overcome for algal biofuels to be commercialized. To identify these hurdles and guide research and development activities, DOE convened the National Algal Biofuels Technology Roadmap Workshop, bringing together more than 200 experts and stakeholders from across the country. The Department synthesized workshop results and released a draft report for public comment in June 2009. The final National Algal Biofuels Technology Roadmap released today reflects the substantive comments received and is intended to guide future work and investments in algal biofuels. Under the Recovery Act, the Department awarded funding earlier this year to an algal research consortium to tackle a broad range of barriers identified in the roadmap report.
View a copy of the National Algal Biofuels Technology Roadmap (PDF – 7.45MB). Additional information on algal biofuels is available on the Department’s Biomass Program website.
Media contact(s):
(202) 586-4940
Source: http://www.energy.gov/9167.htm
HR BioPetroleum to Acquire Shell’s Shareholding in Cellana Algae Joint Venture
(Honolulu, HI, January 27, 2011) — HR BioPetroleum, Inc. (HRBP), a Hawaii-based and -founded renewable biofuels company, today announced that it will acquire Shell’s shareholding in Cellana, a joint venture between Shell and HRBP. On January 31, 2011, HRBP will become the sole owner of Cellana, including its six-acre demonstration facility in Kona, Hawaii.
In 2007, HRBP and Royal Dutch Shell PLC, the international energy company, formed Cellana as a separate joint venture to build and operate a demonstration facility to grow marine algae and produce vegetable oil for conversion into biofuel. To date, it is one of the most advanced operational demonstration facilities among algae-to-biofuel organizations and companies in the United States.
‘‘The acquisition of Cellana represents a significant opportunity for HRBP and its corporate and project stakeholders, including the University of Hawaii, Hawaiian Electric Company, Maui Electric Company, the National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts consortium, the U.S. Department of Energy and others,’’ said Ed Shonsey, HRBP CEO.
‘‘We will continue to operate Cellana’s Kona demonstration facility and to continuously improve the economics for growing marine algae using HRBP’s patented process. Based on HRBP’s and Cellana’s results to date, we believe this technology holds great potential for the economical production of algae and algae-derived products for applications within the aquaculture and animal feed markets, as well as for the production of algal oil for conversion into biofuels.”
To support the transition Shell has agreed to provide short-term funding to advance and focus the algae technology development program. HRBP will further develop the technology at the Kona demonstration facility with the objective of first commercial deployment at the Ma’alaea site the company has selected on Maui, Hawaii.
Algae, the fastest growing plant on the planet, can produce substantially greater oil per acre than traditional oil seeds while simultaneously recycling industrial emissions of CO2, greatly reducing the carbon footprint as compared to other processes. Many strains of algae can grow optimally using brackish water, seawater or wastewater.
About HRBP and Cellana
HR BioPetroleum (HRBP) a Hawaii-based and -founded renewable biofuels company, and Cellana are focused on using the most productive plants on earth – marine algae – to produce feedstocks for biofuel, animal feed, and other valuable applications while simultaneously reducing industrial emissions of CO2. Using the joint HRBP/Cellana technologies, HRBP intends to construct and operate commercial algae facilities to produce fuel, aquaculture and other animal feeds, and other valuable products. For more information about HRBP and Cellana, please go to www.hrbp.com and www.cellana.com.
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For more information, contact:
Piia Aarma at Pineapple Tweed, 808-221-2102