Category: Blog

ABO Welcomes Membranology As New Silver-Level Member

Membranology brings advanced filtration technology and expertise to the global algae industry

The Algae Biomass Organization welcomes Membranology, a provider of advanced filtration technologies and expertise, as the group’s newest Silver-level corporate member.

Advanced filtration is a key process for many algae producers and product developers. Algae cells produced in bioreactors, open ponds, fermentation tanks or even in wastewater treatment facilities must often be physically separated from water into a concentrated form. The concentrated algae is then used for R&D applications, product development or other biomass processes. 

Membranology’s expertise extends far beyond just cell harvesting. Their extensive knowledge of filtration and process engineering has facilitated their development of novel processes for separation and concentration of valuable products obtained from algae. Optimized downstream processing of the algal products is key to economic recovery and clean-up of the water for reuse.

Membranology’s approach to separation process has been lauded by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), one of the world’s leading professional engineering groups, and has benefited both novices and experts when it comes to using membrane filtration technologies to yield high-value, pure algae from a variety of production methods.

“We are looking forward to playing a role in ABO’s efforts to advance the algae industry,” said Richard Phillips, Managing Director at Membranology. “We were impressed by the depth and size of the industry on display the 2019 Algae Biomass Summit, and particularly that ABO’s mission is so closely aligned with our own dedication to increasing innovation and reducing costs in the algae industry.”

Membranology’s exhibit booth at the 2019 Algae Biomass Summit

Membranology offers a variety of services to algae producers:

  • Fluid and Membrane Characterization, Membrane Selection
  • Process Design and Innovation
  • Membrane Autopsy
  • On-Site Pilot trials
  • Education and Training

Since Membranology is independent of any supplier, their engineers can always choose the optimum membrane for a given application, and offer state-of-the-art equipment for process stream and membrane characterization.

For a limited time Membranology is offering ABO members free consultations. Reach out them at info@membranology.com for details.

A big welcome to Membranology!

For more information visit https://membranology.com/

Interested in ABO membership? Sign up before November 15, 2019 to take advantage of our fall discount offers!

In Celebration of Dr. Robert Gardner, 1979-2019

Dr. Robert Gardner

We are all saddened by the passing last Thursday of Dr. Robert Gardner, a dedicated member of the algae community that made enduring contributions to science, education, and to the growth of the Algae Biomass Organization.

Rob was well-respected for his research on algal biofuels at Montana State University as a Ph.D. student and later as an Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota. He also conceived of and organized the first Young Innovators Lounge (YIL), an annual series of events at the Algae Biomass Summit designed to help students advance their careers by making personal connections with industry leaders.  

Rob was one of the earliest student members of the Algae Biomass Organization, and made contributions at every Summit from 2008-2019, chairing the YIL and poster sessions in 2013-2015, and then serving as the event’s Biology track chair from 2016-2018. He also served on the Technical Standards committee for ABO’s most important industry standards document: Industrial Algae Measurements, v. 8.0. 

Dr. Rob Gardner (center) at the 2016 Algae Biomass Summit

Rob’s contributions to science and education, and especially his collegial and energetic spirit, will continue to be an inspiration to the entire ABO community. He will be greatly missed.

Read Rob’s obituary here. 

Read a statement from Mark Allen, ABO’s President and Board Chair, here.

A college scholarship fund in his honor has been set up to support his daughter’s college expenses.  To make a donation A “GoFundMe” account has been set up at https://www.gofundme.com/f/rob-gardner-memorial-college-fund-for-korey 

The Design2Scale Challenge Seeks Innovations in 3rd Generation Biofuels

Algae technology developers take note! Fraunhofer TechBridge, a program of Fraunhofer USA, is now accepting applications for its newest TechBridge Challenge, the Designed2Scale Challenge presented in collaboration with ExxonMobil.

Fraunhofer TechBridgewill award up to $50,000 in prototyping, demonstration, and/or validation services from the world-renowned Fraunhofer R&D network to selected teams. 

Solutions of interest  include:

  • Technologies and strategies to aid in algal separation, cell disruption and pretreatment of microalgal cells, prior to lipid extraction
  • Technologies, strategies and processes to efficiently extract intracellular lipids from microalgae
  • New capabilities in microalgal downstream processing that minimize energy usage, chemical intensity and/or complexity

Proposals are due by November 15, 2019 at: www.designed2scalechallenge.com. Applicants and awardees’ intellectual property will be fully protected throughout the review process.

Students Recognized with 2019 Young Algae Researcher Awards

Four student scientists were recognized with the Algae Biomass Organization’s Young Algae Researcher Awards for their contributions to fields of algae biology and engineering at the 2019 Algae Biomass Summit, held in Orlando, Florida, September 16-19.

The awards are presented at the annual conference to recognize outstanding research projects by early-career scientists that are discovering the potential for algae to address a number of challenges in energy, human health, climate change, agriculture and more.

A panel of judges evaluated posters based on six key criteria: presentation, methodology, data analysis, poster integrity and the presentation of the poster by the presenter him or herself.

This year’s winners are:

1st place: 

Jackie Mettler, University of New Mexico
Poster title: Promoter Library Curation to Improve Genetic Engineering Efforts on an Industrially-Relevant Alga

 

2nd place: 

Karolína Ranglová, University of South Bohemia, Czech Republic
Poster title: Biostimulant and Biopesticide Activity of Chlorella sp. Cultured in Pilot Scale 

3rd place: 

Haixin Peng, Auburn University
Poster title: Effects of Azospirillum brasilense on Microalgae UTEX 2714 and Bioproduct Production
 

Honorable Mention:

Farah Naaz, Centre for Rural Development and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)
Poster title: Comparative performance evaluation of synthetic media grown algae and wastewater grown algae on the basis of biocrude yield
 
Congratulations to each of these scientists! Their innovations are building the foundation for the technologies, products and companies of tomorrow.
 

 

Dispatch from the 2019 Algae Biomass Summit

The 2019 Algae Biomass Summit concluded last week in Orlando, and the takeaway for most attendees was that a wide range of technical and commercial breakthroughs have given algae a firm toehold in dozens of new markets around the globe, with many more to come. 

Who Was There? 

Hundreds of scientists, entrepreneurs, CEOs, business development executives, federal agency leaders, and others interested in taking advantage of the algae opportunity attended the Summit. They traveled from 23 countries, and represented 318 companies, universities and government agencies. Many came looking for an introduction to algae and left as full-fledged Algae Biomass Organization members, ready to leverage a new network of expertise and connections. 

Some of the Big Ideas

Our summary of the Summit’s opening day featured contributions from Cornell University’s Dr. Charles Greene on how algae is unmatched when it comes to addressing global sustainability challenges, as well as a panel from leading food companies that are using algae to meet the growing demand for greener, healthier and better tasting products. 

On day two of the Summit plenary panels addressed other aspects of algae’s future impacts. A discussion of algae’s ability to capture carbon from power and industrial emissions focused on the ABO’s efforts to ensure that algae was included in a recently amended tax credit program, known as 45Q, for carbon capture projects. The tax credit has attracted attention across the energy industry. 

“45Q has really motivated the industry, a number of projects are underway as a result of this incentive,” said John Litynsky, Deputy Director for Advanced Fossil Technology Systems in the Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy.

An afternoon panel titled “Hot Megatrends: Voices From the Field” featured leaders in media, advanced materials, food and algae cultivation discussing how far the industry has come, and how far it can still reach.

Scott Lindell, a research specialist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution noted that even with the remarkable potential of land-based microalgae production, there are also vast offshore resources for macroalgae farming. “The oceans are the largest untapped growth opportunity for algal biomass,” he said. 

The Hot Megatrends panel at the 2019 Summit

At an evening reception attendees were treated to an exclusive sampling of algae-based foods from ALGAMA, as well as samples of algae cooking oil from Thrive, Omega-3 supplements from iWi, and dozens of other exhibitors. 

First Hand Technology Experience

The Summit closed with two tours of regional algae technology demonstrations. At Valensa International attendees were treated to a lab tour that featured the company’s supercritical CO2 biomass extraction technology. And at a tour of the Orlando Utility Commission’s Stanton Energy Center, attendees saw a Department of Energy sponsored demonstration of algae cultivation using CO2 feedstocks from power production. 

Touring Valensa International’s facilities outside Orlando.

 

Algae cultivation with carbon capture at the Orlando Utilities Commission’s Stanton Energy Center.

Social Media Buzz

Throughout the event attendees were busy on social media posting about sessions, food samples, tours, nightlife and more. Scroll through some of the Summit action on Twitter via #algae2019.

Some notable tweets:

Press About the Summit

Biofuels Digest, one of the premier publications monitoring developments in the bioeconomy was at the Summit and published several stories: 

Heard on the Floor at the Algae Biomass Summit
September 18, 2019

The Algae Summit, groups to know, slides to see, and the Megatrends
September 19, 2019

The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to the bioeconomy MEGATRENDS
September 19, 2019

Save the Date. See You in San Diego!

The buzz at the 2019 Summit was stronger than ever before, and attendees from a wide range of companies, government agencies, research institutions and universities made connections that will help move initiatives forward across the globe. 

The 2020 Summit will be held September 8-10 on the campus of the University of California, San Diego. The city is a hub of algae commercial and research activity, and the intimate campus setting is expected to make the networking, partnership-building and technical exchanges at the 2020 Algae Biomass Summit better than ever. See you there!