Author: Carrie Cox

New Algae Degree Program Passes Its First Semester

The Algae Technology Education Consortium (ATEC), a collaboration among the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the Algae Foundation, universities, community colleges, and industry production companies across the United States, has successfully implemented the first semester of the ATEC curriculum at Santa Fe Community College in Santa Fe, New Mexico. 
 
The curriculum is part of a new, two-year degree program in Algae Biology, Technology, and Cultivation, with an overall goal of preparing students to be successful in technician positions in the algal industry. 

Read more.

Remembering Milt Sommerfeld’s Legacy and Achievements

The algae world lost one of its great champions earlier this month. Milt Sommerfeld will be sorely missed by all in the algae space and beyond. Milt is a household name in the algae industry: he started the Laboratory of Algae Research and Biotechnology (LARB) in Arizona, which later became the Arizona Center for Algae Technology and Innovation (AzCATI) and acts as one of the key research hubs for algae in the United States. He was also instrumental in developing the Algae Testbed Public Private Partnership (ATP3), which offers third-party technology verification for those researchers looking to test out their tech.

Yet Milt’s legacy goes far beyond the labs he helped establish and the impressive research that he conducted. He touched many lives throughout his career, inspiring the next generation of algae researchers and all of those who met him with his humor, knowledge and passion.

Read about Milt’s legacy and achievements in this wonderful write-up posted by Arizona State University.

6th Congress of the International Society for Applied Phycology

ABO is a proud partner of the 6th Congress of the International Society for Applied Phycology taking place in Nantes from June 18th through June 23rd. 

Previous ISAP Congresses have seen the role of applied algal biotechnology and their potential developed in a commercial, remedial or regulatory context. In 2014, the theme of ISAP was chosen to reflect on the actual successes of algae applications as they already represent a sustainable and relevant field of biotechnology.

In 2017 the scope of the 6th edition of ISAP congress is to appreciate the huge phycological biodiversity and the diversity of its biotechnological applications through the prism of a new and promising industrial sector in full development. The Congress will include speakers and posters presentations, exhibitors and for the first time a BtoB session to meet the right partners.

More details can be found on the ISAP website. 

International Solar Fuels Conference

ABO is a proud partner of the 2nd International Solar Fuels Conference, set to take place July 6-10, 2017.

Hosted at the University of California, San Diego, this conference will bring together scientists working with biological and chemical approaches to utilize solar energy for direct fuel production.

Topics to be addressed as part of the conference include…

  • Artificial Photosynthesis and Photoelectrochemistry
  • Artificial and photo biological approaches
  • Materials and Molecular Science for Solar Fuels
  • Photobioreactors
  • Light Harvesting and Photochemical Charge Separation
  • Catalysis and Mechanisms
  • Metabolic Engineering and Synthetic Biology
  • Economics and Public Policy
  • Biofuels from photosynthesis
  • Photoelectrochemistry and photobiology

More details can be found on the UCSD website. 

Algae Biomass Organization Welcomes Clearas Water Recovery, Valensa and Zivo Bioscience as New Members

WASHINGTON, DC (May 22, 2017) The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO), the trade association for the algae industry, today announced Clearas Water Recovery, Valensa Interntional and Zivo Bioscience as its newest Silver members. The three leaders in algae technology and products join the growing ranks of companies and organizations that are working with ABO to develop algae into a sustainable source of human nutrition, animal feeds, water treatment services, chemicals, fuels, and countless other products.

“The ever-growing number of market applications make it an exciting time for algae right now,” said Matt Carr, executive director of the Algae Biomass Organization. “All three of these companies exhibit the impressive potential that this industry has for making a positive impact in two areas critical for human health: nutrition and water treatment.”

Montana-based CLEARAS Water Recovery is the leading provider of advanced, biological-based, water treatment technologies for municipal and industrial point source dischargers. Their proprietary Advanced Biological Nutrient Recovery (ABNRTM) technology leverages algae’s biological benefits in a carefully controlled and continuous flow environment that removes/recovers nitrogen, phosphorus and other harmful constituents found in industrial water discharge and wastewater effluent.

Headquartered in Eustis, Florida USA (near Orlando), Valensa International is a leading science- based developer and provider of high quality nature-sourced products for nutritional supplements and functional foods. Valensa’s certified organic production facilities are located in a protected pine/saw palmetto grove. Valensa International is the proud owner of more than 60 US and International Patents for Formulations and Manufacturing (Deep Extract® Supercritical CO2 and O2B® Peroxidation Blocker stabilization.)

ZIVO Bioscience, Inc. is a Michigan-based biotech company engaged in the investigation of the health benefits of nutritive components derived from its proprietary algal cultures, and the development of natural bioactive compounds for use as dietary supplements and food ingredients, as well as biologically derived and synthetic candidates for medicinal and pharmaceutical applications in humans and animals, specifically focused on autoimmune and inflammatory response modulation.

Products made from algae are the natural solution to the energy, food, economic and climate challenges facing the world today. This tiny but powerful organism has the ability to simultaneously put fuels in vehicles, reuse CO2, provide nutrition for animals and people, and create jobs for millions of Americans.

About the Algae Biomass Organization

The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO) is a 501 c(6) non-profit whose mission is to promote the development of viable commercial markets for renewable and sustainable commodities derived from algae. Its membership is comprised of people, companies, and organizations across the value chain. More information about ABO, including its leadership, membership, costs, benefits, and members and their affiliations, is available at the website: www.algaebiomass.org.