Author: Carrie Cox

Department of Energy announces the 2016 National Algal Biofuels Technology Review

by Paul Mullen

The United States Department of Energy, recently announced an update to the 2010 National Algal Biofuels Technology Review. The Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) conducted multiple workshops, and worked alongside research partners to ensure that the 2016 National Algal Biofuels Technology Review will spearhead new technology while displaying the current position of the accelerating algal biofuels industry. This review is a fantastic resource for researchers, engineer’s and decision makers, by providing a summary of algal biofuel research progress to date and the challenges that could be addressed by future RD&D activities.

Algae Biomass Organization Announces Preliminary Agenda for 10th Annual Algae Biomass Summit in Phoenix, AZ

Event to showcase applications for algae in food, health, agriculture, energy, and other markets

PHOENIX (July 5, 2016) The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO), the trade association for the algae industry, today announced the preliminary agenda for the 10th Annual Algae Biomass Summit, being held in Phoenix, Arizona, October 23-26, 2016. The plenary and breakout sessions unveiled on the agenda promise a wide range of discussions about the latest advances in algae commercialization, research and finance at the world’s largest algae conference. The agenda for the Summit can be viewed at: http://www.algaebiomasssummit.org/?page=Agenda.

Arizona is home to some of the nation’s most advanced test beds for new algae technologies, cultivation techniques and product development with multiple testing facilities, training programs and research centers. It has blossomed into a key algae technology hub for products ranging from pharmaceuticals to nutraceuticals to biofuels, making it an ideal location for showcasing the wide variety of products that the algae industry has to offer.

“We’re looking forward to bringing the Algae Biomass Summit back to Phoenix for a chance to showcase the incredible advances the algae industry has made since our last visit in 2010,” said Matt Carr, executive director of ABO. “We will be celebrating ten years of progress by hearing from top scientists discussing the very latest breakthroughs, and the innovative companies that are making algae-derived products more affordable and more effective in health, agriculture, carbon utilization, wastewater treatment and dozens of other markets.”

In addition to plenary sessions featuring leading keynotes and panels on the most pressing topics facing the industry, the conference will feature dozens of presentations in breakout sessions organized into four tracks: Biology, Engineering & Analysis, Commercialization and a new Industry Focus track on major trends the industry. More than 100 posters will be on display showcasing groundbreaking new technologies and research. More information about the Summit can be found at www.algaebiomasssummit.org.

The Summit comes at a time when the industry is seeing more algae companies successfully moving their laboratory breakthroughs into the marketplace. Many companies are making new algae-derived products available to consumers or opening large-scale demonstration and pre-commercial facilities, with expectations for expansion in the future.

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. More information can be found at www.allaboutalgae.com.

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.

Three algae companies awarded $1 million each by the Energy Department

by Paul Mullen

The Energy Department announced that they will be awarding 23 small businesses with $1 million each over the next two years to help the small businesses advance their concepts. Three algae companies were among those selected:

• Manta Biofuel LLC – Development of a high throughput algal dewatering system using magnetic particles which will enable domestic production of renewable gasoline, diesel fuel and jet fuel.

• MicroBio Engineering – Algal bioflocculation for solid-liquid separation. A low-cost, scalable process of algae harvesting will be developed for biofuel production and demonstrated at a significant scale.

• Techverse Inc – Advanced, low-cost, system for algae dewatering. This project will develop a novel algae dewatering system meeting U.S. DOE’s performance and cost targets for algae harvesting.

For more information regarding the awards and a complete list of all the companies click here.

Heliae’s PhycoTerra Microalgae-Based Soil Amendment Registered for Specialty Crops

Heliae Development LLC, an ABO member company based out of Arizona (site of the 2016 Algae Biomass Summit), has successfully registered its PhycoTerra, a soil amendment comprised of mixotrophic microalgal cultures, for use on specialty crops grown in the United States.

Dr. Jon Hansen, vice-president, science and technology at PhycoTerra states, “compared to macroalgae products, such as kelp and seaweed extracts, the whole cell microalgae in PhycoTerra supplements soil by adding or restoring natural elements from microalgae that are found in healthy soil ecosystems.”

To develop the microalgae-based soil amendment, Heliae uses its unique pasteurization process that stabilizes the microalgae and maintains its valuable attributes that facilitate healthy plants and the bicrobiome of the soil.

PhycoTerra’s trials on vegetable and fruit crops have shown promising results, including improved plant stands and healthier plants overall, which will ultimately lead to more marketable fruit.

“When you consider all of these benefits, especially the potential to harvest higher marketable yields of top quality crops earlier in the growing season, it’s clear that PhycoTerra has a bright future in U.S. crop production,” adds Hylon Kaufmann, business and sales strategy specialist.

For more information about Heliae’s PhycoTerra, visit http://phycoterra.com/

And don’t forget to register for the Algae Biomass Summit!

ATP3 Workshop: Microalgal Culture Management and Strain Selection

Sign up for the upcoming Algae Testbed Public-Private Partnership (ATP3) workshop, “Algal Culture Management and Strain Selection,” held in Austin, TX on August 22-26, 2016.

Presentations will cover the fundamentals of isolating and identifying microalgae, handling and managing microalgal cultures (including methods for cryopreservation), screening strains for desirable characteristics, genetically improving strains, and analysis of lipids and higher-value products.

ATP3 offers superior formal and informal education and training in the use of microalgae as feedstock for biofuels and coproducts, through hands-on learning opportunities, workshops, and seminars held at ATP3 partner sites and selected public events.

Click here for details.