Category: Blog

Today ABO released its annual Algae Industry Survey and the results build on yesterday’s news that consumers love algae biofuels. The  key highlights will be encouraging to anybody following the commercialization of algae technologies that are being used to produce renewable fuels, feeds, fertilizers and other products:

• 91% of respondents say it is likely (from somewhat likely to extremely likely) that algae-based fuels will be cost-competitive by 2020.
• Nearly 1 in 4 (23%) of producers say the price will be below $3.00 per gallon by 2020.
• Congressional interest is significant—65% of respondents’ organizations either have met with or plan to meet with legislators.
• Job growth was confidently predicted by employers for 2013. By 2020 some were projecting significant growth, but with more uncertainty (up to 30% of ABO members were not sure what their employment figures would be in 2020).
• 90% of employers say better federal policy support would likely accelerate hiring.
• The most important federal policies in building a robust algae industry were identified as research and development grants, commercialization grants, and tax credits and/or incentives.
• The most critical challenges for the industry to achieve cost-competitiveness were identified by producers as cost-efficient production systems and harvesting and extraction systems.

You can read more in the press release or get a deeper feel for the results in the executive summary.

A SlideShare deck of the highlights is also available:

 

Last November was the first time algae-derived biofuels were made available to consumers, and everybody wanted to know what drivers would think of the fuel, and if they would actually buy it. Today we have some answers.

Renewable fuel retailer Propel Fuels and Solazyme, Inc. today released sales and survey results for a 30-day trial program that offered algae-derived biodiesel blends at Propel pumps in California. It was the first time drivers had the chance to fill up with fuels made from algae and the numbers are pretty strong.

• 92 percent of participants noted that they would be more likely to purchase algae-derived fuel for its environmental benefits.
• 70 percent indicated that they would purchase the fuel more frequently if it were derived from algae.
• Nearly 40 percent of customers indicated they would pay a premium for algae-derived fuel.

That’s how customers felt about algae-derived fuel, but perhaps even more impressive is what they actually did. The sales data show a 35 percent volume increase at Propel stations offering the algae-derived fuel over area sites not participating in the pilot.

That’s not bad for algae’s first trip to the market!

Today’s press release announcing the survey has more details, including some helpful information about the environmental benefits of Solazyme’s product.

The Algae Biomass Organization is now accepting abstracts for speaking and poster opportunities for the 2013 Algae Biomass Summit, to be held at the Hilton Orlando in Orlando, Florida, September 30th to October 3rd.

The large number of abstracts submitted last year was unprecedented and we anticipate an even higher number of submissions this year. All abstracts submitted by the first priority deadline of April 3, 2013 will be reviewed by an expert review committee at that time and, if accepted, placed in the appropriate oral or poster sections. Abstracts submitted after this date will be reviewed as received and included in either the oral or poster sessions as applicable. ABO very much encourages all to meet the April 3rd deadline in order to be considered for acceptance. An announcement of acceptance will be sent on or around June 1, 2013 for those meeting the first priority deadline. Please follow the guidelines to the abstract submission page.

Submit Oral and Poster Presentations Here

Why submit an abstract? To expose your business and research to the world’s largest gathering of algal thought leaders. (Also abstracts selected for speaking slots receive a $300 discount for registration to this event).

Review process: Abstracts are reviewed for a variety of criteria such as relevancy, new data or experimentation, clarity in presentation by more than 4 – 6 experts in each primary topic area. A special weighting is applied to Algae Biomass Organization members for their support of the organization. To find out about membership, Click Here.

Abstracts can deal with microalgae and macroalgae (seaweeds) and should fit into one of the following four primary topic areas, and 1 to 4 selected secondary topic areas.

Primary Topic Areas:

1. Biology
2. Commercialization
3. Engineering and Analysis
4. Finance and Policy

Secondary Topic Areas:

A. Research in algae biology
B. Algae-strain development, selection and breeding
C. Genetics and genetically modified algae
D. Crop protection
E. Algae cultivation processes – ponds, photobioreactors, fermentations
F. Harvesting and dewatering technologies
G. Waste water remediation, nutrient recycling
H. Carbon capture and CO2 recycling
I. Extraction, processing and conversion to end products
J. Advanced biofuels
K. Food, feeds and nutraceuticals
L. Bioplastics and chemicals
M. Life Cycle Analysis and techno-economic modeling
N. Markets, products and business development
O. Commercial scale production P. Project siting, facility co-location
Q. Project financing, venture capital, joint ventures, strategic partnerships
R. Tax and legislative initiatives, US national and state and international S. Government agency programs and funding
T. Industry stakeholder initiatives, sustainability and regulatory policy
U. Others topics not included in above (please specify)

Submit Oral and Poster Presentations Here

If you need to know why the U.S. military is committed to developing renewable fuels, from the top brass to the pilots of MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, you need to read this article on the Great Green Fleet by Julia Whitty at Climate Desk.

Ms. Whitty gives a comprehensive rundown of why the Department of Defense needs advanced biofuels and the past role the military has played in energy technology transitions. If you think biofuels don’t have a chance, you need to read about this history alone.

Some choice highlights:

• The Navy’s Great White Fleet is a prime example of military technology transitions providing a basis for U.S. industrial leadership: “It was the first ever armada of coal-powered steam battleships built entirely of steel — the product of years of government subsidies paying three times the market rate to develop a fledgling American steel industry,” writes Ms. Whitty.
• On those skeptical about the military’s judgement when it comes to adopting new energy technologies: “Every single time there were naysayers,” [US Navy] Secretary Mabus has said. “And every single time those naysayers have been wrong.”
• “Already, since the Navy starting buying biofuels in 2009, the price per gallon has dropped by more than half.”

The entire article is necessary reading for anybody that wants to understand why biofuels are important and how the transition to using them on a commercials scale is well under way.

Late last year we covered a breakthrough by University of California at San Diego researchers that found how algae could be used to cost-effectively produce anti-cancer drugs. Today algae have proven they are also useful in treating pulmonary disease.

Today’s announcement by pharmacy researchers at the University of Florida details the discovery that a compound found in marine algae, symplostatin 5, targets an enzyme that plays a role in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, acute respiratory distress syndrome, cystic fibrosis and other diseases.

It’s an impressive addition to the list of health problems algae can tackle, and it appears that these same researchers at the University of Florida will be back with more. They collected algae from all over the world and a range of marine compounds that could be useful in treating colorectal, prostate and metastatic breast cancer, enhance bone regeneration and slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

Read more at the UF Academic Health Center’s website.