ABO Blog

The algae industry is moving faster than many people suspect. To help demonstrate how far along so many of ABO’s members are we  recently created the Algae Industry Project Book, an illustrated guide of some of the most advanced algae facilities in the United States.

Inside you’ll find brief company descriptions and photos that demonstrate the impressive progress of the algae industry, as well as the products, jobs and other benefits we are creating.

It’s a great resource for anybody that needs to get up to speed quickly on algae’s potential to provide a sustainable source of fuels, feed, chemicals and countless other products.

As these projects progress, and as more come online, we will be adding updates to the book. If you are an ABO member with new progress to report don’t hesitate to get in touch!

Download a copy of the Algae Industry Project Book (PDF) and share it with your networks today.

All too often during the summer months algae can make a bad name for itself. Lakes across the country are filled with algal blooms that can keep swimmers out, and kill sea-life within. But Reasearchers at the University of Buffalo are studying ways to remove the algae and turn it into biofuels and fertilizer.

Their system uses algae beds to remove excess nutrients from the lake, and can simultaneously improve water quality and create useful products. From Domestic Fuels:

Funded by a $30,000 Rochester Institute of Technology grant, [David] Blersch, an environmental engineer at the University at Buffalo, and his students built a system that pumps water ashore down two, 40-foot-long flumes.

The water is recycled into the lake but it leaves behind microscopic cells that form miniature algae blooms. Blersch vacuums the algae and bottles samples to study. He is creating a database that will help scientists, government, industry and others gauge the algae’s potential uses.

Students at Buffalo have been able to learn and explore the potential that algae holds.

From University of Buffalo News Center:

“This research is really a unique opportunity to examine issues that delve into sustainable bioenergy and how we can use innovative technology to improve our waterways,” said Byrley, who this fall will attend the University of California, Riverside, on a full scholarship to pursue a doctoral degree in chemical and environmental engineering.

Algae once again turn our burdensome waste into useful products.

ABO’s executive director Mary Rosenthal chimes in today over at Biofuels Digest on some of the recent advertisements that oppose policies to advance renewable fuel technologies in the United States:

Halloween is not for another 3 months, but the costumes and scare tactics are already out in the form of a new ad campaign from the American Petroleum Institute (API).

The goal of the ad campaign? To try to generate grassroots demand among the American public to call for the repeal of the RFS.  Now, if you’re like me, you know an awful lot about biofuels policies and regulations. But ask your neighbor what the RFS stands for and I’ll bet you a tank of gas that he or she won’t know what you’re talking about.

Read the rest of Mary’s column in Biofuels Digest.

Can we put carbon emissions to good use? This week the Algae Biomass Organization’s webinar series continues with a focus on this question.

Please join us on July 25, 2013 at 2pm ET (11am PT)   

As the Administration begins new efforts to control greenhouse gases innovative technologies are opening the possibility for carbon emissions to become a business opportunity. Several ABO member companies are closing in on the commercial production of biofuels, feeds, fertilizers and other products derived from algae. Algae are voracious consumers of CO2, and making products from algae can beneficially reuse carbon emission from a variety of sources.

In this webinar leaders from the algae industry, major energy companies, and climate policy experts will discuss how algae can transform carbon emissions into a valuable feedstock that will help our climate and improve the bottom line.

This will be an informative event for anyone that needs to understand how algae are becoming a sustainable, renewable resource that contributes to our energy and economic security.

Click here to register.

Presenters:

• Mike Evans, Partner at K&L Gates
• Doug Durst, Strategic Planning Manager at Duke Energy
• Tim Burns, President and CEO of BioProcess Algae

Moderator:

• Mary Rosenthal, Executive Director of the Algae Biomass Organization

Q&A Session:

Presentations will be followed by a Q&A session moderated by Mary Rosenthal.

Time:

July 25, 2013

11:00 am -12:00 pm Pacific
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Mountain
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Central
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Eastern

There are a limited number of spots available so sign up today!

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.