Algae Communication

Algae for biofuels is taking a positive turn in promoting more communication. Many technology oriented conferences are including a "green" component with algae as a highlight. Two organizations in the United States have taken the lead, the National Algae Association http://www.nationalalgaeassociation.com/ in Woodlands, Texas, and the Algal Biomass Association http://www.algalbiomass.org/ in Seattle, Washington. Keeping information and ideas flowing and growing from one another is crucial in moving biofuels forward rapidly.

Algae is a Win-Win

It is estimated that many companies, start-ups and investors are pursuing the goal of algae to biofuel. Each company is taking a slightly different approach in regions throughout the United States and indeed the world. The UK has just issued an algae to fuel challenge (http://www.biofuels-news.com/news/uk_challenge.html). With appropriate support, through funding, research and development, and resources, there will surely be successes. But will those successes be simply be cheap, renewable oil from algae? What is the measure of success? From a capitalist point of view, positive cashflow marks success and indeed, no business will operate very long without it. However, the environmental and social benefits offered through the pursuit of algae to oil are vast and difficult to put a dollar value on. The following are a few of the foreseeable and direct benefits: carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) reduction in the atmosphere; utilization of nutrients that contribute to eutrophication (human, bovine, fish farm wastes) and are a wasted resource, therefore a cleansing of waste waters that feed our natural waters; production of biofuel products that produce less pollution than petroleum fuels and set up a carbon neutral cycle; production of nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, animal feed and non-petroleum-based fertilizers as potential value-added byproducts; algae production out performs all land-based feedstocks and is not competitive with food crops; decentralize fuel production and distribution; regional economic development and job creation in a new industry; and a renewable source of energy, which offers energy independence. If every company meets with a measure of success, it is a win-win endeavor for all.

NC Marine Biotechnology Symposium

Alganomics will be participating in first NC Marine Biotechnology Symposium that will be held in conjunction with the International Joint Meeting of the 32nd Annual Meeting of the Seafood Science and Technology Society and the 53rd Annual Meeting of the Atlantic Fisheries Technology Conference on October 19-21, 2008 at Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. If you are interested in exploring current issues in algae culturing for biofuels, you are invited for a special one-day program, the North Carolina Marine Biotechnology Symposium, to be held on Wednesday, October 22, 2008.
Session 1 - Bio-energy: Fuel sources from the sea Moderator Randall Johnson, North Carolina Biotechnology Center
9:00 a.m.
Keynote AddressBiofuels: A civic endeavor now - a sea endeavor soon W. Steven Burke, Chair and Acting President, Biofuels Center of North Carolina and Senior Vice President Corporate Affairs, North Carolina Biotechnology Center
9:30 a.m.
Panel Address and Discussion
Carmelo Tomas, University of North Carolina Wilmington
Kimberly Jones, Alganomics LLC
Michelle Sabaoun, Brunswick Community College
For additional information please see the symposium website - http://www.seafoodlab.cmast.ncsu.edu/sst_aft2008/index.html.

Algae for Alternative Feedstock for Biofuels

Algae is the talk of the alternative feedstocks for biofuels. With high, year-round growth; no competition with food crops; a renewable resource; the promise of independent energy and environmental remediation of carbon dioxide and excess nutrients, it seems like a no brainer. So what's the problem? Research is just now focusing on how to make this happen in controled conditions, on an industrial scale and in a cost effective manner. Many initiatives worldwide are taking place and very little sharing of information. Alganomics, LLC is a new company that is seeking to apply new technology to this initiative and create a community-based, grassroots effort to make algae a viable alternative feedstock for biofuel. AlgaeLink of the Netherlands and Spain is a company that has been the first to produce closed systems, photobioreactors, for culturing algae on an industrial scale. Alganomics has become an exclusive distributor for AlgaeLink Systems and is in process of applying a system to a wastewater treatment facility at Oak Island, North Carolina. Keep up with our progress at http://www.algaeresource.com/.