Green Jobs for America

Dr. Kim Jones of Alganomics will be a panel member at the following conference:

Join us to MoveOn … Green…
Green jobs for America: “Looking at Southeastern NC” Conference

When: March 28th, 1:00 – 2:30 PM
Where: Northeast Branch Library, 1241 Military Cut Off
Road in the David M. Paynter Assembly Room, Wilmington, NC.
What: A conference with key players providing
an overview of where we are on greening the
economy with green jobs and green initiatives.
WHY: To improve health, economic stability and
energy independence.
Free to all. A project of MoveOn Regional Council

Algae Commercialization Outlook

36 billion gallons by 2022!
Renewable Fuels Standard
On December 19, 2007, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (H.R. 6) was signed into law. This comprehensive energy legislation amends the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) signed into law in 2005, growing to 36 billion gallons in 2022. By doing so, the bill seizes on the potential that renewable fuels offer to reduce foreign oil dependence and greenhouse gas emissions and provide meaningful economic opportunity across this country, putting America firmly on a path toward greater energy stability and sustainability.

According to a January 2008 study, the economic impact of a 36 billion gallon RFS is as follows:
will add more than $1.7 trillion to the Gross Domestic Product between 2008 and 2022;
generate an additional $436 billion of household income for all Americans during the same time period;
support the creation of as many as 1.1 million new jobs in all sectors of the economy; and,
generate $209 billion in new Federal tax receipts.
(Source: Economic Impact of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, LECG LLC.)

This is the economic development our economy must invest in.

These are some highlights from the recent webinar by William Thurmond, ”Algae 2020: Biofuels Markets and Commercialization Outlook"
(http://www.emerging-markets.com/)
Key drivers in the biofuels market growth are:
Economic Security
Environmental Security
National Security
Energy Independence
Tax Incentives
Government Mandates

Algae biomass can produce multiple fuels from a single biomass source, including 1st generation biodiesel fuels, 1st generation ethanol fuels, and 2nd generation renewable diesel, renewable gasoline, jet fuel and biocrude. Algae is also being used in test trials for aviation, sea and road transport.

Production Volume by Fuelstock:
Soy 50 gal/acre/year
Palm 650 gal/acre/year
Jatropha ~250 gal/acre/year
Current Algae from ponds ~5,000 gal/acre/year
Algae Potential (photobioreactors) 10,000-20,000 gal/acre/year (continuous crop)

A substantial and growing gap between biofuel production and production capacity in the United States is caused by simply not enough feedstock or fuelstock. The US must look to alternative fuelstocks. Algae has such potential and a variable market for bioproducts, in addition to biofuels.

New Year, Fresh Algae

Happy New Year! 2009 promises to be a year of new direction, as the nation, states and local communities review the status quo and respond to the changing economy. The International Energy Agency (IEA) released its World Energy Outlook 2008 in November (http://www.iea.org/). The world’s natural resources and consumptions have been updated, and reflect significant reductions in the estimated lifetimes of availability. Renewable energy is slated to become the second largest source of electricity. Opportunities abound in the quest for viable renewable energy resources and many may come from surprising places. Alganomics, LLC believes that algae have great potential as one of the renewable energy resources to make a significant impact. The new year provides renewal of perspective and opportunities, as well as fresh algae growth, research and development.

NC Biotech Infrastructure

Did you know that North Carolina is ranked third in the nation for its biotechnology companies? More than 450 bioscience companies are headquartered or have operations in North Carolina. For more information on the biotechnology infrastructure that is being developed for NC, visit the North Carolina Biotechnology Center’s (NCBC) website at:
http://www.ncbiotech.org/biotechnology_in_nc/index.html
Forbes magazine in 2008 has named North Dakota, Iowa, Mississippi, Georgia and North Carolina as the top five U.S. states for producing biomass feedstocks. Alganomics hopes to add to the biomass feedstock’s market through algae production. North Carolina’s Strategic Plan for Biofuels Leadership’s goal is simple and bold in statement but challenging to bring about over time: to develop a liquid biofuels industry that is substantial in output, agriculturally and economically important, sustainable, and significant across the State. Bringing about this outcome requires a smart combination of sustained policy, resources, and vision, which is outlined in 9 strategies within the plan.
Strategy 1: North Carolina’s vision is strong and ambitious. By 2017, 10 percent of liquid fuels sold in North Carolina will come from biofuels grown and produced within the State.
To read the complete plan, visit:
http://www.ncbiotech.org/biotechnology_in_nc/strategic_plan/documents/biofuels_plan.pdf

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.