BioDiesel Algal Conversion Technology In Bloom
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 11.18.06
GreenFuel seems to have instigated something of an algae bloom of business relationships in it’s pursuit of green fuel products. We’ve covered them before several times: here, here, and here. The bloom expands:- "GreenFuel Technologies Corporation, the leading developer of algae bioreactor systems that recycle CO2 in flue gases into clean, renewable biofuels, announced that it has signed an agreement to license its proprietary technology to Global Renewable Energy Efficiency Network, a newly formed biofuels company in the Republic of South Africa...Under the terms of the agreement, Global Renewable will have the rights to install and operate GreenFuel's Emissions- to-Biofuels(TM) algae bioreactor systems at multiple locations with commercial deployment potential of 1,000 acres or more".
As a subtext to this story, another US company has a stake in South Africa’s biodiesel success: - "Green Star Products, Inc. (US OTC: GSPI) today announced that it has signed an agreement with De Beers Fuel Limited of South Africa to build 90 biodiesel reactors. Each of the biodiesel reactors will be capable of producing 10 million gallons of biodiesel each year for a total production capacity of 900,000,000 gallons per year when operating at full capacity, which is 4 times greater than the entire U.S. output in 2006. The 2-ton reactors will be built by GSPI at their Glenns Ferry Facility in Idaho and delivered over the next 18 months".
The logical question which flows from this news is ‘why is not the same level of capital investment occurring in North American?’
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
- Fish Waste Biodiesel Project Launched in Vietnam
- 90-95% Cost Reduction in Algae Production Claimed by Solix Biofuels
- $92 Million Algae Biofuels Deal Signed Between GreenFuel Technologies & Aurantia
- Recycling Planet Green: Recycle That Turkey Fryer Oil into Biofuel
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SA has always had a large portion of their domestic motor fuel derived from nontraditional sources. The years under sanctions for apartheid led them to greatly advance F-T conversion of biomass and coal for motor fuel. The same company responsible for the F-T plants, Sasol, also funded their clean nuclear technology. SA developed and runs commercial scale pebble bed reactors. The deliver more "burn-up" of radioactive fuel, which means more power, with less waste (and waste which is radioactive for less time).
It's only an extension of the impact that apartheid had on the country for them to continue on being self sufficient in energy.
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Good insight. Sort of the converse of the US which after years of dominating world oil and gas markets is only reluctantly looking into alternative sources of energy
See "All the Shah's Men," by Stephen Kinzer, to know what replacement fuel is up against.
i knew it was too good to be true
http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article.php?a_id=106770