Category: Blog

The Biotechnology Innovation Organization has released a new report on the biobased economy: “Advancing the Biobased Economy: Renewable Chemical Biorefinery Commercialization, Profess and Market Opportunities, 2016 and Beyond.” The report takes a deep dive into the future of biobased products and comes out with some very positive results.

Perhaps one of the most exciting highlights of the report is a list of companies making waves in the space. There are many key algae companies (and Algae Biomass Organization members) prominently featured, including Heliae, Joule, LanzaTech, Matrix, Cellana, Sapphire, Terravia and others. In other words, algae is key cog in the biobased space.

McKinsey & Co. estimates that there were $252 billion in sales of biobased products in 2012; a number that is expected to grow to as large as $375-$441 billion by 2020. Over the same span of time, sales of renewable chemicals are expected to grow from 9 percent to 11 percent of the global chemical sales total.

The report highlights certain policies that have had an effect in producing that result, including both the Renewable Fuel Standard and the 2014 Farm Bill. According to the report, the former opened discussions and policy development in renewable chemicals and biobased products, while the latter extended loan guarantee eligibility to renewable chemicals and biobased products producers—key steps to advancing these new technologies.

For more about the report, visit BIO’s website.

Innovations for producing algae based fuels and chemicals will get another boost now that the  Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) is moving forward with a significant new funding opportunity.

ARPA-E’s Teaming List Announcement, entitled “SCALABLE MACROALGAE CULTIVATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR FUELS AND CHEMICALS” can be found at: https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov/#FoaIdd498e9ab-b0a1-45fe-84da-597841a50de1

The Algae Biomass Organization had a strong presence at ARPA-E’s February workshop to explore possible funding in this area, and was able to provide ARPA-E staff with input about progress among ABO’s membership. This latest funding builds on past ARPA-E Funding Opportunity Announcements that have supported up to $30 million in project applications.

Marc von Keitz, ARPA-E’s program leader in this area, will be moderating a session on macroalgae developments at this year’s Algae Biomass Summit in Phoenix, Oct 23-26. This will be a great opportunity to hear about the latest progress in producing sustainable fuels and chemical from algae.

The FOA itself is expected to be issued in November 2016.

EPA will be hosting a public meeting entitled, “Opportunity for Public Comment on Algae Guidance for The Preparation of TSCA Biotechnology Submissions” at Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ on October 27, 2016, immediately following the Algae Biomass Summit.

The objective of this meeting is to receive public input and comments on EPA’s algae guidance document in support of risk assessments of biotechnology products that make use of genetically engineered algae and cyanobacteria, which are subject to Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) oversight. The meeting will inform the development of EPA’s “Algae Guidance for The Preparation of TSCA Biotechnology Submissions” document.

EPA encourages all members of the public interested in participating in this meeting to register to attend. Due to space limitations, the Agency anticipates that approximately 120 people will be able to attend the meeting in person, with seating available on a first-come, first-serve basis. For registrants not able to attend in person, the meeting will also provide Web connect and teleconference capabilities.

More information is available on EPA’s website. 

By Paul Mullen

Scientists have built a robotic stingray made of muscle cells from a rat, a skeleton of gold, light activated algae proteins and plastic fins. The muscles are controlled by light through a technique known as optogenetics. Blue light causes the protein that is derived from algae and inserted into the muscle tissue to activate the muscle. According to Keith Moored of Lehigh University, rays are an ideal blueprint for the next generation of autonomous underwater vehicles as they are very efficient swimmers. Click here to read the full article.