October 5th, 2007
You've been slimed (or, algae as a biofuel source)
Me and algae, we go way back. (So far back, in fact, that I don’t remember what the proper grammar should be for the previous sentence.)
I can recall ponds smothered in algae during a couple of 8th grade field trips focused on gathering data for my earth science class. Plus, my childhood allergies made it difficult for me to have any other pet than a fish tank. I spent hours scraping the stuff off the glass.
Given how fast the stuff grows, it definitely seems logical as a potential energy source, something that Global Green Solutions of El Paso, Texas, is determined to exploit.
In conjunction with Valcent Products, the company has created a joint venture called Vertigro. Here’s the multi-process pitch: Algae is mass-produced and algae oil is extracted. There’s an FAQ document that goes into things in more detail.
Glen Kertz, CEO of Valcent and the principal scientist who patented Vertigro, says one major past drawback to working with algae as a biofuel source was, quite simply, the cost of trying to grow algae in an open environment for a very small yield. However, Valcent and Global Green have created a pilot farm in El Paso, Texas, that they believe could product 100,000 gallons of algae oil per acre per yield. (That compares with about 635 gallons of oil per acre per year for palm oil, which is another biofuel source contender.) Other stuff that Valcent is into include vertical growth systems, in order to encourage higher crop yields in limited space. Thus, its ability to support something like Vertigro.
The bonus is that algae also requires plenty of carbon dioxide to grow. So, the companies are proposing building their plants near heavy producers of carbon dioxide (such as refineries, power plants and manufacturing facilities.)
Actually, let me let Glen speak for himself.
Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase: “I’ve been slimed.” Doesn’t it?
Heather Clancy is an award-winning business journalist in the New York area with more than 20 years experience covering the high-tech industry. See her full profile and disclosure of her industry affiliations. See her full profile and disclosure of her industry affiliations.
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