Category: Press

Comprehensive website offers information, videos and photos about algae’s potential as a feedstock for fuel, food and feed 

ORLANDO, Fla. – February 6, 2012 – The Algae Biomass Organization today launchedAllaboutalgae.com, a new website designed to showcase the potential of algae-based products to provide sustainable and scalable sources of food, energy and fuel. The website, developed in concert with the National Biodiesel Board provides information, videos and photos all about algae-derived products such as biodiesel, aviation fuel, biochemicals, animal feed and nutritional supplements.

Allaboutalgae.com is the first site designed to showcase algae’s potential for everyone – from those just learning about algae to seasoned algae enthusiasts and entrepreneurs looking for the latest information on the industry’s progress toward meeting challenges in energy security, food production and sustainability.

“With global population expected to reach 9 billion in the next decades, we must find additional sustainable sources of food, energy and fuel,” said Mary Rosenthal, executive director of the Algae Biomass Organization. “Products made from algae have incredible potential to meet these needs, and this website is designed to inform and excite people about algae.Allaboutalgae.com is a one-stop shop of comprehensive, easy-to-understand information about this exciting industry.”

The site is organized in a way that allows users to navigate between basic and more complex aspects of algae. It answers questions about what algae are and their unique characteristics as a feedstock for fuels, food, feed and more. It includes reviews of the history of algae research, state-of-the-art technology and the latest efforts of the industry to begin large-scale production. Users can review photos of operations, video interviews with industry and academic experts, an FAQ to quickly find information, a quiz that tests their algae knowledge, and more.

“This is a much-needed resource when you consider how quickly this industry is moving. Algae is slated to be a source of many products, including biodiesel, and we are excited that there is now a place for people to learn about its potential,” said Joe Jobe, Chief Executive Officer of the National Biodiesel Board.

Allaboutalgae.com was funded, in part, by the U.S. Department of Energy.

 

About ABO

The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the development of viable commercial markets for renewable and sustainable commodities derived from algae. Its membership is comprised of people, companies and organizations across the value chain. More information about ABO, including its leadership, membership, costs, benefits and members and their affiliations, is available at the website:www.algaebiomass.org.

About NBB

The NBB is the national trade association representing the biodiesel industry as the coordinating body for research and development in the US.  It was founded in 1992 by state soybean commodity groups, who were funding biodiesel research and development programs.  Since that time, the NBB has developed into a comprehensive industry association, which coordinates and interacts with a broad range of cooperators including industry, government, and academia.  NBB’s membership is comprised of state, national, and international feedstock and feedstock processor organizations, biodiesel suppliers, fuel marketers and distributors, and technology providers. More information is available at: www.biodiesel.org.

 

Media Contact:

John Williams, Scoville Public Relations for ABO

206-625-0075 x1, jwilliams@scovillepr.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 20, 2011 – The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO) today thanked Senators Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), John Kerry (D-Mass.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Tom Udall (D-N.M.) for their efforts to help level the playing field for algae-derived fuels. In a letter sent to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Minority Leader McConnell (R-KY), the group asked Senators for consideration of an extension of cellulosic biofuels tax incentives, including language clarifying the eligibility of algae-based biofuels, in any possible extension of tax provisions slated to expire at the end of 2012.

Specifically, the letter asked the Senate leaders to clarify the eligibility of algae-based biofuels by including language similar to that in S. 748, the Algae-based Renewable Fuel Promotion Act.

“On behalf of our members across the value chain of the algae industry, we thank the Senators for their support,” said Mary Rosenthal, Executive Director of ABO. “The availability of long term, sustainable and domestic sources of fuel is in the economic, security and environmental strategic interests of our nation. But we need supportive and predictable federal policy to help accelerate the development of biorefineries capable of producing billions of gallons of renewable fuels. Not only will this reduce our dependency on imported oil, it will create tens of thousands of jobs across the country.”

 

About ABO

The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the development of viable commercial markets for renewable and sustainable commodities derived from algae. Its membership is comprised of people, companies and organizations across the value chain. More information about ABO, including its leadership, membership, costs, benefits and members and their affiliations, is available at the website:www.algaebiomass.org.

 

Media Contact:

John Williams, Scoville Public Relations for ABO

206-625-0075 x1, jwilliams@scovillepr.com

2012 effort will focus on driving policies that recognize algae’s huge potential for job creation, domestic fuel production and economic development across the country

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 19, 2011 – The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO) has taken a major step in its evolution as the trade association for the U.S. algae industry by engaging the Washington, D.C. office of the global law firm, K&L Gates LLP.  The firm will help ABO in its efforts to educate federal policy makers about the growing potential for algae biofuels and the role they will play in U.S. energy production, national security and economic development, and to advocate for legislation that helps create parity for algae-derived fuels among the various regulatory and tax incentives available to other types of biofuels.

The investment by ABO comes as at a critical time for the industry, as fuels that can be derived from algae, such as gasoline, biodiesel and aviation fuel, are moving out of the laboratory and into the marketplace.

“The industry is breaking ground on new production facilities around the nation, paving the way to commercial availability. Still, however, algae-based fuels continue to be at a disadvantage when it comes to federal policy,” said Mary Rosenthal, executive director of the ABO. “At a time when Congress is focused on job creation, policymakers need to look no further than the algae industry, which is creating jobs across the ecosystem, from research and engineering, to construction and manufacturing, to administrative jobs in nearly every state in the U.S.”

The Algae Biomass Organization supports the bi-partisan Renewable Fuel Parity Act of 2011, which was introduced by Senators Tom Udall (D-NM) and Mike Crapo (R-ID). By amending the Clean Air Act and combining the existing categories of ‘‘cellulosic biofuel’’ and ‘‘advanced biofuel’’ into a single technology-neutral category of ‘‘advanced biofuel,’’ the bill gives algae-based companies the same tax treatment other biofuel companies have received for years.

“Making the RFS technology-neutral is just one change that can help put algae-based products on a level playing field,” said Rosenthal. “Our industry has made great strides in technology and commercialization over the last few years, and we expect markets for food, fuels and chemicals to see more algae-based entrants. Updating policies that were crafted before this technology had matured will have to be a priority if we want the U.S. to reap the benefits.”

Algae-based products and biofuels can be produced on land that is not used for agriculture, with water sources that are otherwise unusable, and at per-acre yields that vastly exceed other crops used for fuel production. As the demand for liquid fossil fuels grows faster than new supplies can be brought to market, the algae industry has been working to develop a range of fuels that can fill the gap, stimulate economic development in virtually any state, and provide a source of sustainable, domestically produced fuels that enhances U.S. energy security.

 

About ABO

The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the development of viable commercial markets for renewable and sustainable commodities derived from algae. Its membership is comprised of people, companies and organizations across the value chain. More information about ABO, including its leadership, membership, costs, benefits and members and their affiliations, is available at the website:www.algaebiomass.org.

 

Media Contact:

John Williams, Scoville Public Relations for ABO

206-625-0075 x1, jwilliams@scovillepr.com

Purchase of 450,000 gallons of biofuels, including 100,000 gallons of algae-based fuel moves industry toward commercial production

WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 6, 2011 – Today, Mary Rosenthal, Executive Director of the Algae Biomass Organization, the trade association for the U.S. algae industry, released the following statement regarding the U.S. Navy’s plans to purchase 450,000 gallons of drop-in biofuels, with 100,000 of those made from algal oils produced by Algae Biomass Organization member Solazyme, Inc.

“On behalf of the U.S. algae industry, I want to recognize both the U.S. Navy and the Department of Agriculture for their continued support for domestic biofuels derived from algae. The purchase announced yesterday represents another milestone in our industry’s progress in creating domestically produced, drop-in renewable biofuels.

This purchase, as part of the Navy’s effort to build a ‘Great Green Fleet,’ is also an important vote of confidence for an industry is developing drop-in biofuels at a national scale to supply our military with a more secure source of fuel, create jobs across the country, and provide consumers with an alternative to imported oil.

The algae industry are proud to be playing a role in the development of strategically important and scalable supplies of domestic fuels that don’t compete with food production and have a minimized carbon footprint. As an industry we are well positioned to meet those challenges, and provide jobs and economic development across the country as we do it. We look forward to working with the U.S Navy and Department of Agriculture as they continue to push for the commercial development of advanced biofuels derived from algae.”

About ABO
The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the development of viable commercial markets for renewable and sustainable commodities derived from algae. Its membership is comprised of people, companies and organizations across the value chain. More information about ABO, including its leadership, membership, costs, benefits and members and their affiliations, is available at the website: www.algaebiomass.org.

Media Contact:
John Williams, Scoville Public Relations for ABO
206-625-0075 x1, jwilliams@scovillepr.com

Algae-based fuels enter the mainstream with historic flight

CHICAGO – November 7, 2011 – Mary Rosenthal, executive director of the Algae Biomass Organization (ABO), the trade association for the U.S. algae industry, today issued the following statement regarding the first U.S. commercial flight to be powered by algae-based biofuel, which landed earlier today at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport:

“On behalf of the U.S. algae industry and the Algal Biomass Organization, I want to congratulate ABO members Solazyme, Honeywell’s UOP and Boeing for their part in today’s historic United Flight 1403 which flew from Houston to Chicago powered in part by algae-based biofuel. Solazyme and Honeywell’s UOP produced the algae-based biofuel for the Boeing 737-824 aircraft.

“I also want to salute Boeing and United Airlines for their leadership roles in advancing aviation biofuels.

“It’s a great day for commercial aviation and an incredible day for the U.S. algae industry, which is working to meet the future demand for transportation fuels through sustainable, domestic and entirely renewable algae-based fuels.

“Today’s flight demonstrates without a doubt that algae-based fuels are ‘here and now’, and as companies across the country scale up operations, we expect to see more aircraft and vehicles fueling up with clean, domestic fuels made from algae.”

About the Algae Biomass Organization

Founded in 2008, the Algae Biomass Organization (ABO) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the development of viable commercial markets for renewable and sustainable products derived from algae. Its membership is comprised of people, companies and organizations across the value chain. More information about ABO, including its leadership, membership, costs, benefits and members and their affiliations, is available at the website: www.algaebiomass.org.

Media Contact:
John Williams, Scoville Public Relations for ABO
206-625-0075 x1, jwilliams@scovillepr.com