Category: Blog

Some of the latest preparations for testing the Navy’s Great Green Fleet have been visible recently:

On June 13 the Military Sealift Command (MSC) fleet replenishment oiler USNS Henry J. Kaiser began loaded 900,000 gallons of an advanced biofuels mix. The fuels will be part of the Navy’s Great Green Fleet testing that will begin June 29 in waters near Hawaii. Several ships and aircraft will use biofuels during extended testing.

Yesterday in Puget Sound the Everett-based Coast Guard Cutter Henry Blake made its first voyage using biofuel derived from algae. This was the first time the entire ship’s operations were run with biofuels—any system that runs on diesel was successfully operated using the new fuel.

The raw video below shows the algal fuel mix being pumped into the Henry Blake’s tanks.

The biofuels being used this summer work with the military’s existing engines and infrastructure, allowing for an easy transition.

Domestically produced advanced biofuels offer the Department of Defense an excellent strategic advantage: they will protect military operations against the price volatility of fossil fuels, as well as outright supply disruptions caused by the actions of unfriendly nations.

Today the Senate will take up the Farm Bill, S. 3240, at 2:15 p.m., and begin debating and voting on more than 70 amendments. It is important for the algae community to add its voice today.

Included in these amendments is one proposed by Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) that will effectively strike Section 9003, the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance programs. This amendment will eliminate the program and its mandatory funding. As you know, Section 9003 of the Farm Bill provides loan guarantees for the development, construction and retrofitting of commercial-scale biorefineries, and grants to help pay for the development and construction costs of demonstration-scale biorefineries.

It is unknown when this amendment will come up during the debate, as the Senate will be voting continuously in what is known as a “voterama.” Therefore, it is important to contact your Senators now and ask them to vote NO on the Toomey Amendment, #2226.

Senators do listen to their constituents, and your support can help the industry in its efforts to provide America with renewable sources of domestically produced fuel, food and other products.

Sometimes overlooked in conversations about aglae-based biofuels is the fact that algae is also a feedstock for feed, nutritional supplements, fertilizers, chemicals and much more. The production of algal biofuels also creates significant quantities of biomass that can be used for a range of coproducts—the result is additional revenue streams for algae producers.

For those companies working toward an ultimate goal of accessing fuel markets, the co-product markets available today are acting as stepping stones in their efforts to increase production. In many cases these other markets are turning into a viable business model for algae companies.

Continue reading Stepping Stones to Biofuel

Yesterday at a Distinguished Speaker Breakfast in Washington, DC with Senator Mark Udall (D-CO), the topic of algae biofuels was one of the first to come up.

Several participants noted that as the U.S. looks for alternatives to imported fossil fuels, the benefits of algae lie primarily in its ability to produce drop-in biofuels that work with existing infrastructure. Gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel can all be produced from algae, and have been successfully tested in a variety of cars, truck, ships and airplanes. One attendee pointed out that the fuel we use today is made from ancient algae.

The next step is for the industry to scale-up production. But like most new technologies this requires a coordinated effort among investors, markets and regulators. One participant noted that a significant pull can come from the Department of Defense, much like what is described in today’s Wall Street Journal article on the Navy’s biofuel testing this summer.

The military has a long history of adopting new technologies that can give it an edge, and domestically produced biofuels (some algae fuels even have a higher energy density than their counterparts) can provide that edge.

If the military adopts a new technology it can give an industry a better platform from which to grow, and benefits for the U.S. economy often follow. Mark Schweiker, former Republican governor of Pennsylvania, made the case in Forbes earlier this week.

Congress is reviewing the military’s use of biofuels in the National Defense Appropriations Act (NDAA) right now, and it’s important for them to hear that the military’s use of biofuels needs support. Please ask your senator to support pro-biofuels amendments to the NDAA offered by Senator Mark Udall and others during the full Senate debate.

Booth space and sponsorships for the Algae Biomass Summit in Denver, CO, September 24-27, 2012 are already going fast. We wanted to take a moment to remind those considering attending about the benefits of exposure in the exhibit hall, and that last year’s floor sold out. Right now, we are more than 70% sold out and have little room for expansion. Sponsorships are still available, but we are more than 200% ahead with commitments.

Exhibitors at ABS come from across the algae value chain—meaning they are often not just algae producers.

Suppliers and manufacturers of equipment, universities, state and federal agencies, and entrepreneurs have all recognized the importance of getting exposure at the most high-profile algae conference in the world.

All of them come to make valuable contacts at a conference that always has something new to offer in technology advancements, state and federal policy updates, finance & investment, and commercialization trends.

The list of past exhibitors includes a wide range of interests, and in surveys from previous Summits they consistently report on the value of new contacts and information obtained during the event.

You can find out how to exhibit at the Algae Biomass Summit’s exhibitor’s webpage.