New Company to Produce Biodiesel From Algae
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 06.26.06

Producing biodiesel from algae has been touted as the most efficient way to make biodiesel fuel. The advantage being that the land requirement for growing the biodiesel is very small. Independent studies have demonstrated that algae is capable of producing 30 times more oil per acre than the current crops now utilized for the production of biofuels. Algae biofuel contains no sulfur, is non-toxic and highly biodegradable. Some species of algae are ideally suited to biodiesel production due to their high oil content, in excess of 50%, and extremely rapid growth rates.
Algae BioFuels, a subsidiary of PetroSun Drilling, will be engaged in the research and development of algae cultivation as an energy source in the production of biodiesel. The R&D and production facilities for Algae BioFuels will be based in Arizona and Australia.
:: Business Wire Via Energy Blog

















Biomimicry point: some blue greens produce oil-filled vacuols to let them adjust bouyancy (oil floats on water), thus enabling them to stay at top position in the water column and shade out competitive species below. The dirtier the water the higher they float to achieve the right sorbancy.
This sounds promising. The earth's surface is covered predominantly with ocean water (some 70%). Mankind has not really been harnessing the ocean's biomass except for fishing. This would give fishermen an alternative to overfishing collapsing fish stocks, assuming they can adequately retrofit their vessels, and it would alleviate pressure to use food, such as corn, to fill gasoline tanks rather than human stomachs. I hope they can make this work in a way that doesn't end up causing imbalances in underwater ecosystems.
there is a vital open source oil from algae scene experimenting with ways of setting up backyard able production methods
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/oil_from_algae/
http://forums.biodieselnow.com/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=71
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algae_culture
http://www.phyco.org/
-------
several companies allready
made it into the news with their algae to biofuel productions:
http://forums.biodieselnow.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=12930
houston, wild growing algae do not contain enough oil to make harvesting them worthwhile. The algae being used to make biodiesel are special strains developed to produce far more oil than most wild strains. The algae is then grown in a controlled environment to avoid contamination by competing species.
Aj
Houston,
It won't be harvested from the oceans. THe algae need care and protection including from more wild less oily algae. And they would need agricultural run-off for food.
Basically the best place to do this in largescale, and cheaply, is in the more 'shallow' parts of the Salton Sea, CA. But it can be done anywhere.
Thanks for the addtional info. Aj and Sam. Too bad to hear wild algae is not viable.
See also another site focussed on biodiesel production from algae - Oilgae.com
Hope this helps
From BPO Database @ eBPO.in
solicito informacion de los tipos de algas que se utilizan para produccion de biodiesel......gracias.
Arizona??? Seems like an odd place for Algae, why not the great lakes? God knows Lake Michigan is overgrown with Algae at themomment.
Dear, Sir
I want to know who can supply a algae oil for bio diesel production.
I need a supplier name who can provide with min. 5,000 MT per month.
dear simon park
i would be happy to name you a company allready that evolved to supply this much oil from algae.
i would say, several companies have chances to one day reach this stage. check out:
http://www.algoil.com
http://forums.biodieselnow.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=14825
http://forums.biodieselnow.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=12930
Need to know type of algae to produce biodiesel since we have many lagoons and coast in our state, and I think it could be very interesting to do some tests
De Beers Fuel Limited of South Africa is going to be using 90 biodiesel reactors to produce 900 million gallons a year with 18 months. They say this is 4 times greater than 2006 US production. Initially they use crops but plan to switch to using algae. It's the first commercially licensed biodiesel manufacturing plant in South Africa. They are franchising the production plants and claim capital will be repaid in 6 months.
News article of 13 Nov 2006
http://www.ewire.com/display.cfm/Wire_ID/3491
De Beers Fuel website:
http://www.infinitibiodiesel.com/about.htm
The 90 Biodiesel reactors are made by
http://www.greenstarusa.com/
"An agreement was signed with GreenFuel Technologies Corporation in the USA to provide it with technology via G.R.E.E.N Ltd to produce biofuels from algae. The first algae plant was erected in Naboomspruit and will be inoculated at the end of November 2006. One acre of sunflower produces 350 litres of biodiesel, and one acre of algae will produce 40 000 litres of biodiesel, as well as a range of options to produce products such as bioplastics, biohydrogen, protein for feedstocks, animal feed or ethanol."
http://www.greenfuelonline.com/technology.htm
If algal biomass is generated from sewage the programme would be more economical. Diatoms are promising organisms for oil production if certain critical parameters are manipulated
I am a biodiesel maker using virgin and used oil, but, I would like to begin to know about specials algae used to make biodiesel. Thank you very much.
I am surprised that more attention is not paid to NET energy production and accounting output BTU to input BTU - Sunlight BTU to bio fuel BTU is much less than 1% gross.
Commonly it is assumed sunlight energy is 'free' and therefore costs nothing - in reality land area is seldom free in the USA. In algae drying energy needs to be included unless a closed process is developed - say algae to methane wet process.
Solar thermal and photvoltaic sun to electric energy can easily produce 10x more BTU output per input -than bio fuels; the big deal seems to be getting a liquid fuel instead of electricity for which we are suggesting very inefficient processes.
I'm all for waste product bio fuel: it's the cropped fuel suggestions that don't look so good - competitive with food production - leading to engineering crops for BTU rather than land health and nutrition etc... a dangerous path.
sir
I agree that Algae biofuels would one day replace the thirst for fossil oils. I am making reasearch with my own lands for the production of Algae based oils.
But I need guidance to use my lands very carefully as i think it is very good my landgets plenty of chemical pollution in the air ..and we have plenty of sunlight...
If anybody gives support I am free to offer my lands for exploiting for algae based oils
Alagarsamy
www.mgrbiodiesel.com
India
I think that making bio-fuel out of algea would go together well with wave power. Think of a ship that could travel the ocean with hundreds of algea vessels connected to it. The vessels would float over the waves and transfer the power of the weight of the vessels being lifted and lowered by the hydrolic pumps. Thid mechanical energy could be used to pump algea for harvesting, squeezing the algea pulp to extract the bio-oil, pumping CO2 and other gases through the algea vessels, Etc. The ship could be a refining and transport vehicle, delivering a finished product to collection stations.
please tell me tht have you started making biodiesel from algae or not ??? or is it process??? when will it come to the market??
what algea did that
Has anyone heard of this company that is buiding two algae to biodiesel plants? Take a look at www.greenstarusa.com.
Pee Grinding PGLtd,
Po.Box 857, Limbe,
Cameroon.
Good Day, i am contacting you , for connection to sell my product . I am a propriotor of Pee Grinding Ltd In Cameroon , We produce Cotton oil both crude and refined oil. and Cotton as raw materials . in the production of cotton clothes. If your company is involve with this kindly let me know if you will be needing any of my product . I will be happy if you can direct me to any company who will be needing it either . Thank you and read from you
A.Simaze
Yay! the De Beers family to save the planet!
You all should research that company before touting them.
As much as I love biofuels, I don't feel comfy supporting that family.
How about the company planting algae cultivation pools near coal-burning industrial plants to work together. I read that they claimed a reduction of up to 90% for exhaust gasses as they used the c02 to feed the algae.
all statistics on the web are made up (i realize that) but it is still a damn good idea. I have been researching backyard methods for algae production for a few years now. Good stuff. Tilapia is another good by-product.. and yummy too.
I am Adrián Lombardo from Argentina and I own 780 hectáreas = 1950 acres, (approx) which are near Viedma City, Patagonia, Argentina. These lands are watered directly by water which comes form the Rio Negro. I think that they are apt to grow algae in order to produce biodiesel. I would like to know the basic characteristics of said crop. Therefore, I would like you to answer the following questions: 1) What kind of algae is better for this project? 2) Which infrustructure is requiered for cultivation? (artificial pools, its depth, dimension, etc) 3) Must water be flowing continually or can the algae grow in quiet waters? 4) How to make the harvest? 5) Is there any artificial method to ensure a fastest growth of algae? Thanks.
The De Beers biofuel company was one big scam, and mr de Beer himself used this company as a vehicle to steal millions of $ from others. I honestly doubt that De Beers managed to make a single liter of fuel from their so called algae project.
South Africans will be sceptical of any biofuel plant wanting to open in SA again.
( See www.carteblanche.co.za )
I have 200,000kgs of algal phospholipid soaps that I need to move.
I just want to ask is there any body or company allready producing biodiesel from algae in a pilot plant or so
Can I have the address or e mail , web url
How is this becoming a real solution
who sells the algae i was advised that university of Texas and University of New Hampshire ??
thanks
daniel
I own stock in nova (nbf) which is in biodesel fuels. they have a half dozen plants that are soon coming on line. I also have a small amount of stock in Green Star Industries (gspi) which is developing algae technology. You can contact either one of these companies on their websites to follow their progress. Our gov. needs to enhance the opportunities for these alternative fuel companies,wind, solar, etc. It's up to our congressional leaders to grant them tax incentives to promote faster development of these forms of energy.
It seems to me that most of you don't know which strain of algae they use to produce oil: it's bassically "nannochloropsis'. Yup we South Africans are sceptic; those De Beers stole a lot of money. Im currently doing research on algae based biodiesel and woul like to know if anyone can tell me how to extract the oil from the algae
Regarding Algae Biofuels I would like to point to the Redhawk Powerplant in Arizona. They have already an Algae Bio Generator in action that actually converts CO2 from the exhaust into 02 and Biofuel.
In Italy there is also a lot of research and applications of such CO2 conversion into 02 and algae produced biofuels.
For more information check www.GreenTech.FM or the article below.
http://www.bizjournals.com/masshightech/stories/2006/11/27/daily32.html
To think of Algae as a solution to Energy problems imagine this. 2.25 acres of soybean can create 2 drums (55 gallons) of Biodiesel, while 2.25 acres of micro Algae can produce a jumbo railcar (23,000 gallons) of Biodiesel. So you have to ask yourself.....do you fell lucky punk? Don't be mislead by companies that are known by 3 letters, this is real!
"Solient Green is people!"
hi, could you please mail me some species of algae use for algae fuel.
Biofuels from micro algae is a wonderful gift to mankind.
Let us explore
and produce
S.A.Alagarsamy
www.mgrbiodiesel.com
we explore this in India
As homes in America are becoming more energy efficient. Let’s look at the biggest polluters.
What average families need
1 shelter and warmth
2 foods
3 transportation
1 when we combine wind and solar the average family can sustain its energy needs
2 we know we need farmers in rural areas and window gardens in the cities.
3 I maintain that the American second car should be like a scooter that can run on homegrown algae.
I'm not talking about highways or commerce.
I'm speaking to the parent that can work close to home - please rethink needing a SUV to just go 30 city blocks.
How many of us pay $200 a month to get to work. Just getting to work is a dip into our salary. Every $10 per week is quarter per hour.
Wouldn’t it be cost effective to develop a home grown algae fuel? Think about it . No need to transport it from half way around the world to a refinery to a tanker to a gas station and then in an extra car that isn’t needed.
Sorry im becoming a green freak.
But im looking around places like Detroit. Where the jobs are gone and they still have to buy imported fuel.
Forget the recession tax rebate I would rather see those tax dollars go Detroit to make a green car than runs on algae and electric hybrid that the people in that city could pay only a one time assembly cost and then run on renewable homegrown biofuel.
Please don’t tell me the average family cant "do" fuel refinement. Cause even cracks heads can "do" complex meth ods of refinment in their kitchens.
I watch invention nation on cable We don’t need another oil president.
We need to sit out the next conflict and put $400,000,000 into Agri waste refinement and micro community energy opportunism.
Ok ok to much grandiose
I would like to a Harley Davidson that runs on algae.
Further here in Indiana where corn fields are continuous for 300 miles all winter long I think to myself. Why is there only a summer crop and why does a struggling farmer not have wind turbines in use a winter crop.
Everyone wants to say don’t mess with he corn but they put a nuclear reactor here in the middle of no where and I mean no where.
I mean really a nuclear power plant in a small farming community that cant fend off federal lawyers.
If you read all that and your still with me this is what imp saying .
We need ronco to sell us a biofuel appliance, that doesn’t even cost us $1,200 no not even $1,000 not $800 or $ 700. But give us homegrown biofuel appliance for 4 easy payments of $125 on a 12 month same as cash super deal.
Thing is somebody made a $380,000,000 profit last year. They can buy ronco anytime they want.
If America ever needed a FUBU presidency its now.
If you read that and you’re still with me.
Then here it is.
if we developed a building block like a 2x2'x4' foot plastic Lego blocks transparent enough for photosynthesis that can be filled with rain water and support an algae ecosystem that can be assembled into a south facing wall for a garage or other .. We can tap it as raw biofuel and harvest it from every mans or woman’s garage. I think we would eventually also lean towards those Harley Davidson’s. Or at least some really cool scooters. That gets 200 miles to the gallon.
National Algae Association
The Woodlands, Texas
Algae: The Next Biofuel
Is Black Gold Turning Green?
Inaugural
Algae Commercialization
Business Plan and Networking Forum
April 10, 2008
www.nationalalgaeassociation.com
Is there any law in US, which regulates Biofuel?
I mean, if there is any law, which explain, what sort of things should contain in Biofuel?
PetroSun (PSUD.PK) looks like it might be a scam
Why does Treehugger cite them as a leading Biodiesel research company?
PSUD is buy algae from shrimp farms in south Texas, and does not have any facilities to speak of.
There are some other companies doing this for real however.
Hi,
I'm a beginner. I have a 5 acre pond fed by irriagation water.
What would be the best algae to use and where can I buy some?
arnalarsen@yahoo.com
I am looking to start a consultant company and looking for the top 10 instutions and or reasearchers in the field of Bio Fuels and Algea use. I have become aware of the need for a brain trust for this type of research due to researching several offerings from new start up companies promising low cost bio fuels, garbage recyling and sulfur scrubing goal emmissions. All seem possible but yet not proven. I want a brain trust which will evaluate these type of prospectus for large multi million dollar investors. If you have experience and or possible canidates I would love to hear from you.