Yesterday the Energy Department today announced nearly $18 million in four innovative pilot-scale biorefineries in California, Iowa, and Washington that will test renewable biofuels as a domestic alternative to power our cars, trucks, and planes that meet military specifications for jet fuel and shipboard diesel. Among the recipients is ABO member Bioprocess Algae, which will use the award to further develop their Grower Harvester technology platform, co-located with the Green Plains Renewable Energy ethanol plant in Shenandoah, Iowa.
A statement from BioProcess Algae describes the project more:
“We believe our Grower Harvester platform will be vital in the development of this project with the DOE,” said Tim Burns, President and CEO of BioProcess Algae. “For this project, we will integrate low-cost autotrophic algal production, accelerated lipid production, and lipid conversion in an effort to develop a cost-effective advanced biofuel for military needs. This development is consistent with our current plans to build the next phase of Grower Harvester reactors in Shenandoah.”
ABO also congratulated BioProcess Algae for their award, and noted that the federal government has played a role in advancing technologies that formed the basis for new industries for some time:
“We’re thrilled BioProcess Algae has been selected as one of four pilot biorefineries that will receive support to accelerate the availability of advanced, renewable biofuels,” said Mary Rosenthal, executive director of ABO. “The United States has a long history of supporting new energy technologies, and the Department of Energy’s selection is a testament to BioProcess Algae’s impressive progress and the potential for algae to provide America with renewable, domestic biofuels that don’t compete with food or fresh water.”
Congratulations to BioProcess Algae!