Aquatic Energy to Open Demo-Scale Algae Biofuel Facility in Louisiana
Algae paste, photo: Biofuels Digest
Lake Charles, Louisiana-based Aquatic Energy has announced that it is ready to move beyond its initial pilot-scale algae biofuel facility, and will be expanding to an 30-acre demonstration project using the company's open pond system, which is achieving yields on 2500 gallons per acre without an external CO2 source:Biofuels Digest reports that 70% of the CO2 required is coming the atmosphere, with 30% coming from natural gas burned in the drying stage of production.
The expansion is expected to produce about 1.5 tons per day of algae biomass, which is targeted at the animal feed market.
Provided the required $32 million in funds can be raised, the next step past this demonstration expansion would be a full scale commercial project. This would occupy some 617 acres, and produce 1.5 million gallons per year of fuel, and 24,500 tons of algae meal.
via: Biofuels DigestThis article originally ran with different statistics regarding Aquatic Energy's expansion plans and expected yields, which upon clarification from Aquatic Energy have been revised.Algae BiofuelAlgae, Jatropha Tapped to Power Continental Airlines' First Biofuel Test FlightNew Algae Biofuel from Sapphire Energy "Chemically Identical to GasolineA Behind the Scenes Look at MITs Algae Photobioreactor (Video)
