Washington, DC (June 18, 2014) The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO), the trade association for the algae industry, today announced Matthew Carr, Ph.D. as its executive director. Dr. Carr has more than a decade of policy and advocacy experience, most recently serving as Managing Director of the Industrial and Environmental section at the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO). He will be focused on continuing to develop ABO’s membership and lead the organization’s efforts to accelerate the development of algae technologies that serve trillion-dollar markets in fuels, feed, food and chemical industries.
A UNSW-led team of researchers has discovered how algae that survive in very low levels of light are able to switch on and off a weird quantum phenomenon that occurs during photosynthesis. The function in the algae of this quantum effect, known as coherence, remains a mystery, but it is thought it could help them harvest energy from the sun much more efficiently.
Sao Pedro, Brazil – Within the framework of an expansion strategy for the Latin American region, Alltech commenced construction this week on an algae production plant on the same premises as Alltech Sao Pedro, the largest yeast plant for animal nutrition in the world. This new $63 million investment in Brazil will generate more than 200 direct and indirect jobs, and it will increase Alltech’s Latin America production by 58 percent.
Lestrem, France – Roquette, a global leader in processing plant-based raw materials (corn, wheat, potatoes, peas and microalgae) introduces a production unit dedicated to microalgae at its industrial site in Lestrem (Pas de Calais, France). This industrial unit formally launches a new range of food ingredients made from renewable plant-based raw materials with exceptional nutritional potential.
Four years after the first optimistic calculations, the experimental cultivation of algae appears to be meeting expectations. Production costs have been more than halved, while the profit made on some crop components already exceeds production costs.
Viel ist erreicht, einiges bleibt noch zu tun: So lassen sich nach zwei Tagen intensiver Diskussion die Ergebnisse des 7. Bundesalgenstammtisches zusammenfassen. 150 Experten beschäftigten sich mit den neuesten Erkenntnissen zu Mikroalgen. Das Themenspektrum reichte von der Kultivierung, für die mittlerweile eine ganze Reihe von Reaktortypen zur Verfügung stehen, über die Mikrobiologie und den Einsatz von Algen zur Wertstoffgewinnung bis zur Nutzung von Algen als Futtermittel in der Aquakultur. Prof. Dr. Rainer Buchholz, Vorsitzender der Fachgruppe Algenbiotechnologie bei der DECHEMA e.V., lobte in seinem Schlusswort besonders die offene Diskussionskultur, die den Bundesalgenstammtisch seit jeher auszeichne.
Hayward, Calif. – April, 2014 – Following six months of testing and evaluation, Aurora Algae has confirmed the potential for commercial-scale algae cultivation in South Texas, and is expanding its test facility, beginning with four, one-acre cultivation ponds and a harvesting system.
Sie stecken voller Energie, binden Kohlendioxid und nehmen der Landwirtschaft keine Flächen weg: Die Bremer Firma Phytolutions setzt auf Algen als Alternative zu Kerosin. Flugzeuge sind nun mal keine Fahrräder. Pro Kopf stoßen sie weitaus mehr von dem Klimakiller Kohlendioxid aus als Busse oder Bahnen. Doch das soll in Zukunft besser werden.
Microalgae-based biofuel not only has the potential to quench a sizable chunk of the world’s energy demands, say Utah State University researchers, it’s a potential game-changer. “That’s because microalgae produces much higher yields of fuel-producing biomass than other sources of alternative fuels and it doesn’t compete with food crops,” says Jeff Moody, who completed a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from USU in May 2014.