Category: Blog

The Educating and Developing workers for the Green Economy (EDGE) Initiative was started with funding from the California Department of Labor to create and launch training programs in anticipation of the growth of the biofuels and industrial biotechnology sectors. Based on the EDGE Biofuels Science Technician Certificate run in 2011 and 2012, the San Diego Center for Algae Biotechnology (SD-CAB) and UC San Diego Extension is launching two Specialized Certificates in Biofuels, starting in January 2013.

You can learn more about the new 2013 EDGE Biofuels Certificates and Scholarships at http://algae.ucsd.edu/edge.html.

Changes for 2013 include funding for around 20 students to receive 50% scholarships for either of the Biofuels Certificate programs.  A second scholarship application round will likely be announced in early February.  The lecture courses will now also be entirely online.  Lab courses will be taught in an intensive format on the UCSD campus for 4 weeks during the summer, with some labs taught in the evening to minimize disruption to students’ employment.  The program does have some limited student housing and meal plans available on campus for those not based in San Diego to attend the summer labs.  International students are welcome.  And students also enroll in individual classes, rather than the whole certificate.

As part of the bi-partisan “Fiscal Cliff” legislation passed by Congress and signed by President Obama algae-derived fuels are, for the first time ever, a “qualified feedstock” under section 40 of the United States Code, meaning that producers of algal fuel are eligible for a $1.01 per gallon tax credit.

This is a big victory for the algae industry and has been a key legislative priority for ABO since our founding in 2008.

By leveling the playing field, this legislation will help foster the continued investment in algae technology companies as well as accelerate the commercial production and the sale of algae-based fuels. The bill also includes language that extends a special depreciation allowance on biofuel plant property to producers using algae.

Colorado’s KUNC public radio has some perspective on what the new policy will mean for algae research and commercialization.

The holiday might seem to be a time to slow down, but algae entrepreneurs have  found a way to stay busy. In the last week we’ve already seen three separate announcements for new algae facilities…and none of them are in the United States.

• In Dubai Lootah Biofuels will work with a Singapore-based algae firm AlgaOil to grow algae in desert regions.
• In Greece two algae entrepreneurs are looking at using algae-derived products to give that county’s economy a much-needed boost (OK, so this was announced earlier in the year, but it came up on the radar again this week.)
• Spanish photobioreactor supplier Algasol announced a collaboration with Italian  industrial equipment provider GIAN.MAI srl for a 20 hectare that will be used for CO2 remediation, treating wastewater and producing biomass.

Given algae’s ability to grow fast with minimal impacts on the environment, and the host of valuable fuels and other products that can come the organisms, there is little wonder we are seeing the beginnings of a global algae race.

ABO members working on algal biofuels may want to look into this latest funding opportunity from the DOE:

The Energy Department has announced up to $12 million in new funding for projects that aim to drive down the cost of producing gasoline, diesel, and jet fuels from biomass.

The funding will support up to five research and development projects that will boost biofuel yields from non-food-based lignocellulosic feedstocks such as agricultural residue, fast-growing poplar trees, and switch grass. These projects will help improve the carbon, hydrogen, and separation efficiencies in bio-oil production and upgrade processes to meet these goals.

This funding opportunity is open to universities, national laboratories, industrial entities, and nonprofit organizations. View the full funding opportunity announcement.

The Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy accelerates development and facilitates deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies and market-based solutions that strengthen U.S. energy security, environmental quality, and economic vitality. Learn more about EERE’s work with industry, academia, and national laboratory partners on a balanced portfolio of research in biomass feedstocks and conversion technologies.

It’s sometimes easy to forget that algae can be used for an incredible range of products and processes. When we talk about the range of fuels algae can produce we shouldn’t ignore the fact that the oils, proteins and carbohydrates in the organisms can be much more valuable on a per ton basis in many other markets.

Good algae entrepreneurs aren’t letting the opportunities get by them. This week Crain’s Detroit Business writes how one company’s initial focus on using algae to treat wastewater opened up access to a market for algae-based animal feed supplements. 

It’s worth the read to learn how versatile algae technologies can be, and for an example of how disruptive they could be to countless markets once companies have operations up and running.