Repsol has acquired a 20% stake in AlgaEnergy, a leading R & D company in microalgae research. This agreement complements and strengthens Repsol’s research program for the production of next generation biofuels from algae, and its purchase of a stake in AlgaEnergy accelerates and diversifies Repsol’s R & D strategy.
With this participation, Repsol will take part in a technology-based project of high quality to select, improve, cultivate and market various products derived from microalgae, including CO2 capture and fixing, and the production of biofuels from raw materials. Simultaneously, Repsol continues to develop alternative research projects in this field.
Repsol’s 20% stake in AlgaEnergy was carried out by the Repsol New Energy unit. The company acquired 10% through a capital increase and the remaining 10% through direct purchase from AlgaEnergy’s co-founder, Augusto Rodriguez-Villa. Repsol will actively cooperate with the company as a technology partner and will have two representatives on the Board of Directors.
Repsol and microalgae
Last April, Repsol created a business unit for new energy, Repsol New Energy, which aims to identify opportunities, promote projects and develop initiatives in bioenergy and renewable energy for transport, and other areas that can provide synergies with the company’s ongoing business in the areas where the Repsol operates.
Repsol is currently developing several R & D projects for the use of microalgae as a source of production for advanced biofuels.
The use of microalgae is a proven and effective alternative for the production of biofuels, also presenting the advantage that it originates from a non-food source. It has a high capacity for CO2 fixation and for transforming this into raw material for biofuels’ production. In the next few years, it will be necessary to move toward its industrialisation in order to secure its long-term technical and economic viability.
Through the CENIT project (Innovation Project for the Promotion of Biodiesel in Spain) coordinated by Repsol, the company’s research has revealed that using algae to produce fuel oils serves a dual purpose: They absorb CO2 emissions and produce green energy without interfering with food crops, helping to combat two of the greatest challenges facing today's society
AlgaEnergy
AlgaEnergy was founded by a group of industrial experts in 2007. Its Chairman and Chief Executive is Augusto Rodriguez-Villa, the Vice-Chairman is Juan Mato and the Scientific Director is Professor Miguel Garcia Guerrero, one of the world’s leading experts on the subject with 30 years’ experience in microalgae investigation.
AlgaEnergy has great development potential, owing to its patents, its management, scientific and technical teams, and its active collaboration with prestigious research centres and universities, such as CSIC, and the Seville, Almeria and Santiago universities, all internationally-reputed in the investigation of microalgae.
Last April the company received the “Madrid 2009” award for best technology-based business model
Following the transaction, the AlgaEnergy shareholding is made up of Augusto Rodriguez-Villa (45%), Repsol (20%), Iberdrola Perseus-Venture Capital Company (20%), with the remaining 15% made up of independent shareholders.
Source : Press Release
August 6, 2010
August 3, 2010
Study Shows That Algae Biodiesel Produced in Bioreactors Worse For The Environment Than Petroleum Diesel
A new study by University of Cambridge researcher Anna L. Stephenson shows that biodiesel derived from algae grown in air-lift tubular bioreactors has a significantly higher global warming potential than petroleum diesel. On the other hand, the study shows that biodiesel produced from algae grown in raceway ponds has a global warming potential 80% lower than petroleum diesel.
Life-Cycle Assessment of Potential Algal Biodiesel Production in the United Kingdom: A Comparison of Raceways and Air-Lift Tubular Bioreactors
Life-Cycle Assessment of Potential Algal Biodiesel Production in the United Kingdom: A Comparison of Raceways and Air-Lift Tubular Bioreactors
July 19, 2010
Solazyme Delivers 100% Algal-Derived Renewable Jet Fuel to U.S. Navy
Solazyme, Inc. is helping the U.S. military move closer to powering its planes, ships, tanks and trucks on renewable fuel and has delivered of 1,500 gallons of 100% algae-based jet fuel for the U.S. Navy's testing and certification program. The U.S. Navy has previously announced the objective to operate at least 50% of its fleet on clean, renewable fuel by 2020, and the delivery fulfills a contract awarded to Solazyme by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) in September 2009.
Solazyme, a renewable oil and green bioproducts company and leader in algal biotechnology, manufactured the world's first 100% algal-based jet fuel through its proprietary fermentation process in collaboration with renewable jet fuel processing technology from Honeywell's UOP. Solazyme's renewable Solajet™HRJ-5 is designed to meet all of the requirements for Naval renewable aviation fuel. In preliminary tests, it also meets the fuel requirements of the U.S. Air Force and meets the standards for commercial jet fuel.
"It has been an honor to work with both the Navy and DESC/DLA to provide the first microbial derived advanced biojet fuel that will aid the military's transition away from fossil fuel and toward more secure, renewable and reliable sources," said Jonathan Wolfson, CEO, Solazyme. "The military has recognized the national security imperative of creating alternative energy solutions, and this project reflects their leadership and vision in supporting new ways to power our Department of Defense."
Solazyme's algal fuel technology will help the DoD reduce its carbon footprint, minimize reliance on foreign oil, combat global climate change and pioneer the development of clean and renewable energy sources for national energy security.
Verified through external lifecycle analyses, Solazyme's fuels provide an 85% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional fossil fuels. Prior to delivery to the Navy, the fuel was tested by an independent testing laboratory, and met all of the Navy's 19 rigorous requirements for renewable hydrotreated jet fuel. In addition, the fuel meets the proposed ASTM D 7566 specification for Aviation Turbine Fuels containing synthesized hydrocarbons, which is a critical milestone for providing fuels not only for the military, but also for the civilian market.
Source : Press Release
Solazyme, a renewable oil and green bioproducts company and leader in algal biotechnology, manufactured the world's first 100% algal-based jet fuel through its proprietary fermentation process in collaboration with renewable jet fuel processing technology from Honeywell's UOP. Solazyme's renewable Solajet™HRJ-5 is designed to meet all of the requirements for Naval renewable aviation fuel. In preliminary tests, it also meets the fuel requirements of the U.S. Air Force and meets the standards for commercial jet fuel.
"It has been an honor to work with both the Navy and DESC/DLA to provide the first microbial derived advanced biojet fuel that will aid the military's transition away from fossil fuel and toward more secure, renewable and reliable sources," said Jonathan Wolfson, CEO, Solazyme. "The military has recognized the national security imperative of creating alternative energy solutions, and this project reflects their leadership and vision in supporting new ways to power our Department of Defense."
Solazyme's algal fuel technology will help the DoD reduce its carbon footprint, minimize reliance on foreign oil, combat global climate change and pioneer the development of clean and renewable energy sources for national energy security.
Verified through external lifecycle analyses, Solazyme's fuels provide an 85% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional fossil fuels. Prior to delivery to the Navy, the fuel was tested by an independent testing laboratory, and met all of the Navy's 19 rigorous requirements for renewable hydrotreated jet fuel. In addition, the fuel meets the proposed ASTM D 7566 specification for Aviation Turbine Fuels containing synthesized hydrocarbons, which is a critical milestone for providing fuels not only for the military, but also for the civilian market.
Source : Press Release
July 14, 2010
ExxonMobil and Synthetic Genomics Inc. Advance Algae Biofuels Program with New Greenhouse
Greenhouse simulates real-world conditions for research and development
Exxon Mobil Corporation and Synthetic Genomics Inc. (SGI) announced the opening of a greenhouse facility today enabling the next level of research and testing in their algae biofuels program.
The new facility, opened at a ceremony at SGI headquarters in La Jolla, CA, moves the project from a laboratory setting to an environment that better reflects real-world conditions for algae production. SGI and ExxonMobil researchers are using the facility to test whether large-scale quantities of affordable fuel can be produced from algae.
"This is an important day in the early stages of our development program as we test the hypothesis that algae biofuels could become commercially viable and make a meaningful contribution to meeting future energy demand," said Dr. Emil Jacobs, vice president of research and development for ExxonMobil.
In the greenhouse facility, researchers from ExxonMobil and SGI will examine different growth systems for algae, such as open ponds and closed photobioreactors. They will evaluate various algae, including both natural and engineered strains, in these different growth systems under a wide range of conditions, including varying temperatures, light levels and nutrient concentrations. They will also conduct research into other aspects of the algae fuel production process, including harvesting and bio-oil recovery operations.
"The greenhouse is the next important step in our alliance as we comprehensively explore algae as a source of renewable biofuels. The team has already made great strides in evaluating various strains and growth conditions for algae and we are eager to continue and expand this important research as we plan for the next stages of scale up," said J. Craig Venter, Ph.D., founder and CEO for SGI.
Since ExxonMobil and SGI announced the algae biofuel program last July, researchers have made substantial progress, including:
• Isolating and/or engineering a large number of candidate algal strains and developing growth conditions under which these strains could be made more productive;
• Identifying and testing some of the preferred design characteristics of the different production systems; and
• Initiating life cycle and sustainability studies to assess the impact of each step in the process on greenhouse gas emissions, land use and water use.
The next major milestone in the program, expected in mid-2011, is the opening of an outdoor test facility.
If research and development milestones are successfully met, ExxonMobil expects to spend more than $600 million on the algae biofuels program over the next decade, $300 million of which will be allocated to SGI.
Source : Press Release
- Facility to support evaluation of most productive strains of algae and most efficient production methods
- Biofuel from algae could result in economically viable, low net carbon emission transportation fuel
- Next major milestone is outdoor test facility, expected in mid-2011
Exxon Mobil Corporation and Synthetic Genomics Inc. (SGI) announced the opening of a greenhouse facility today enabling the next level of research and testing in their algae biofuels program.
The new facility, opened at a ceremony at SGI headquarters in La Jolla, CA, moves the project from a laboratory setting to an environment that better reflects real-world conditions for algae production. SGI and ExxonMobil researchers are using the facility to test whether large-scale quantities of affordable fuel can be produced from algae.
"This is an important day in the early stages of our development program as we test the hypothesis that algae biofuels could become commercially viable and make a meaningful contribution to meeting future energy demand," said Dr. Emil Jacobs, vice president of research and development for ExxonMobil.
In the greenhouse facility, researchers from ExxonMobil and SGI will examine different growth systems for algae, such as open ponds and closed photobioreactors. They will evaluate various algae, including both natural and engineered strains, in these different growth systems under a wide range of conditions, including varying temperatures, light levels and nutrient concentrations. They will also conduct research into other aspects of the algae fuel production process, including harvesting and bio-oil recovery operations.
"The greenhouse is the next important step in our alliance as we comprehensively explore algae as a source of renewable biofuels. The team has already made great strides in evaluating various strains and growth conditions for algae and we are eager to continue and expand this important research as we plan for the next stages of scale up," said J. Craig Venter, Ph.D., founder and CEO for SGI.
Since ExxonMobil and SGI announced the algae biofuel program last July, researchers have made substantial progress, including:
• Isolating and/or engineering a large number of candidate algal strains and developing growth conditions under which these strains could be made more productive;
• Identifying and testing some of the preferred design characteristics of the different production systems; and
• Initiating life cycle and sustainability studies to assess the impact of each step in the process on greenhouse gas emissions, land use and water use.
The next major milestone in the program, expected in mid-2011, is the opening of an outdoor test facility.
If research and development milestones are successfully met, ExxonMobil expects to spend more than $600 million on the algae biofuels program over the next decade, $300 million of which will be allocated to SGI.
Source : Press Release
July 8, 2010
OriginOil Announces Breakthrough Hydrogen Harvester Invention
OriginOil, Inc., the developer of a breakthrough technology to transform algae, the most promising source of renewable oil, into a true competitor to petroleum, today announced a new invention that generates hydrogen from living algae, providing an additional energy source from bioreactors. In contrast to previously reported developments in the area, the new Hydrogen Harvester™ uses little or no external energy inputs, requires no sulfur deprivation or other “stressing” of the algae, and no genetic modification. The process employs viable, high growth rate, high oil content algae strains.
“One of the primary challenges for algae production is to achieve the best-possible energy balance,” said Riggs Eckelberry, OriginOil CEO. “By harvesting hydrogen from algae we are able to increase the energy output of virtually any algae production system. The result is a photosynthetic technology platform that yields energy in the form of oil, biomass, and hydrogen.”
Algae already create oxygen through photosynthesis. Recovering hydrogen provides the necessary ingredients for electricity generation using fuel cells. The energy can be used to offset the electricity requirements of algae cultivation, harvesting and downstream processing.
Dr. Brian Goodall, OriginOil’s new CTO, commented: “The co-generation of hydrogen at the algae production site is a critical development for the realization of a completely integrated algal biorefinery. All routes from algae to ‘drop-in’ fuels such as renewable diesel and jet fuel require hydrogen and hydrotreating. The Hydrogen Harvester technology would eliminate the need for hydrogen pipelines and dependence on existing refineries which are typically far removed from ideal sites for algae growth.”
The Hydrogen Harvester will be integrated into OriginOil’s existing portfolio of algae growth technologies, including the recently announced MultiReactor™. It will also be available as an add-on to other industry growth systems.
The company recently filed for patent protection of the new hydrogen harvesting technology, its tenth patent application, entitled “Bio Energy Reactor”. While the invention is applicable to any photosynthetic organism, algae is thought to be most productive.
Hydrogen has often been called the perfect fuel. Its major reserve on earth (water) is inexhaustible, meaning that we will never run out of hydrogen. Hydrogen, if produced cleanly, efficiently and affordably from renewable resources, is the ultimate green energy solution: It produces no air pollutants or greenhouse gases when used in fuel cells and the only pollutants generated when burned in internal combustion engines are nitrogen oxides (NOx).
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has stated that producing hydrogen by direct water-splitting technologies — using photosynthetic microorganisms — is the “Holy Grail” of the hydrogen economy, the ultimate clean and sustainable hydrogen production method, and is the focus of long-term R&D efforts at NREL. OriginOil believes that the new Hydrogen Harvester could represent the breakthrough needed to power the hydrogen economy.
Source : Press Release