August 2, 2009
There is a strong potential to grow algae for fuel in the Mediterranean Region particularly in Northern Africa. The presentation above highlights the ways algae can be harvested for oil/fuel and the potential for the entire Mediterranean Region.
The presentation was given by me at the 1st EMUNI ReS (Research Souk) conference in Portoroz, Slovenia and you can download a copy of the presentation here.
Kindly leave your comments and suggestions below.an
Tony Picclo – Aquatic Biofuels Specialist, Rome – Italy
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Algae, Biofuels | Tagged: Algae, algae biomass, algae fuel, algae-oil, algael oil, biodiesel, biofuel, Fish waste, Mediterranean Region, micro-algae, open ponds, photo bio-reactor, photo bio-reactors | 
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Posted by Tony Piccolo - Aquatic Biofuel Specialist
July 2, 2009
Solix Biofuels have added another investor to their already long list of investors. The Chinese company, Shanghai Alliance Investment has recently announced a Series A capital funding for $16.8 million to Solix. The proceeds will be used to finance construction and commencement of operations at the company’s Coyote Gulch Demonstration Facility, which will be operational by late summer 2009. Dr. Bryan Willson COO of Solix, said that the company is currently at around 2500 gallons per acre, and said that the company is on track to achieve crost parity with $80 oil in 3-4 years.
The company has launched a third-generation of its bioreactors, a 20-meter system that integartes CO2 delivery and increase surface area. The system is water-supported to reduce cost. A fourth generation of photobioreactors is now under development. Willson said at the recent Biofuels: Science and Innovation conference in San Francisco that the problem with contamination of open-pond algae systems had not, in his opinion, been yet overcome.
Open ponds however, still seem the only real option for developing countries due to their lower cost. Until the technology for PBR’s is perfected and costs lowered photo bio-reactors are far from reality in developing countries.
What is your opinion? Please leave your suggestions or ideas below.
Tony Picclo – Aquatic Biofuels Specialist, Rome – Italy
Leave a Comment » | Uncategorized | Tagged: 2nd Generation Biofuels, Algae, algae biomass, algae fuel, biofuel, micro-algae, photo bio-reactor, Solix Biofuels | Permalink
Posted by Tony Piccolo - Aquatic Biofuel Specialist
June 4, 2009
The 1st European Algae Biomass Association (EABA) Conference and General Assembly meeting of the Association was held in Florence, Italy, June 3-4th, 2009.
However the outlook was not as optimistic as one would like to think, or as optimistic as the US outlook. General indicative timeframes claim that it will take 10-15 years to commercilize algae, the Executive Director Mr. Raffaello Garofalo pointed out that this is in fact indicative and that there is still alot of research to be done, which part of EABA’s mandate. He also went on to say that at present, producing biodiesel from algae costs 10 to 30 times the cost of making biodiesel from traditional feedstocks. By-products it seems are going to be what makes algae oil production viable in the shorter term. Those highly valued products will make the price drop and make algae oil competitive with other feedstocks.
Mr. Garofalo also added that the new association has 54 members representing science and industry and aims to be a platform for creating full algae-based production chain, from biofuels to animal feed to nutrients.
This outlook strongly contrasts with the more positive scenario and assessment made by some US companies who claim they can commercialize in 3 to 4 years.
- Sapphire Energy has projected that it will reach 1Mgy in production in 2011 and 100Mgy by 2018.
- Solazyme has projected reaching 100 Mgy by 2012 or 2013.
- Biofields has projected production in Mexico of 250 Mgy by 2013 based on the Algenol process.
- PetroAlgae has indicated it expects to reach commercial scale production (below 100Mgy) in 2011.
- Aurora Biofuels has projected the development of “$1.30 at the gate” fuel by 2013
Which of the 2 scenarios do you think is more realistic? The US who have been working on algae to oil production since the 1970′s or the EU whose research is much more recent ?
The US have been speeding up their science and technology on algae for oil/biodiesel production and as the Algae Biofuels World Summit concluded in San Francisco on March of this year. The technology is now in place to commercialize algae as fuel it is the patent laws that are holding everything back. Certain companies have perfected certain branches of extraction, harvesting, CO2 sequestration etc, but have patented the technology and are not sharing their discoveries. This is slowing up the process, but within 4-5 years the US should be able to go commercial.
So will it take 2 to 3, 4 to 5 or 10 to 15 to commercialize algae oil?.
What do you think? Please write your views and opinions below, or contact me directly via e-mail by clicking here
Tony Picclo – Aquatic Biofuels Specialist, Rome – Italy
Leave a Comment » | Algae, Biofuels | Tagged: 2nd Generation Biofuels, Algae, algae biomass, algae-oil, algael oil, bio-diesel, micro-algae, Tony Piccolo ABS - Aquatic Biofuel Specialist | Permalink
Posted by Tony Piccolo - Aquatic Biofuel Specialist
May 19, 2009
Sweet Desert Biofuels situated in Gila Bend (Arizona) has been working on algae culture for a while and are happy to announce their breakthrough in carbon negative fuel production with algae.
To announce this Sweet Desert Biofuels are holding a conference in association with Desertbiofuels and Greenindependence. The conference will be held on May 22, 2009 at ASU’s SkySong Auditorium, which is located at 1475 N. Scottsdale, Scottsdale, AZ 85257 from 9:00 a.m. until noon. The title of the conference will be: A New Green Model for Agricultural Energy Production: CO2 Sequestration and Carbon Neutral Fuels with Algae.
For further information visit Desertsweetbiofuels website
The main problem with algae fuel has been its economic viability, Sweet Desert Biofuels has made a breakthrough toward the economic production of carbon neutral algae biofuels, (CNAB) that are produced in a process that creates substantial Carbon Dioxide sequestration.
Biofuels by definition are carbon neutral, but the process of producing these biofuels is carbon negative. When using these biofuels in cars, trains, planes and ships, -CO2 is removed from the atmosphere. The CNAB process is both economic and scalable in such a way as to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil and to help control climate change. Furthermore, the consequences of the full development of this new model may lead to slowingor stopping the destruction of our rain forest and oceans.
On their website Sweet Desert Biofuels want to make it their goal to produce algae biodiesel at under $3.00 per gallon, compared to todays fuel prices which range from $2.20 – $2.50, that’s roughly a 20% increase. If this were the case;
WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO PAY MORE FOR YOUR FUEL KNOWING THAT IT IS COMING FROM A SUSTAINABLE SOURCE AND IT IS CO2 NEUTRAL?
Tony Piccolo – Aquatic Biofuels Specialist, Rome-Italy
Leave a Comment » | Algae, Biofuels | Tagged: Algae, algae biomass, algae fuel, algael oil, Biofuels, Carbon Dioxide, CO2, micro-algae | Permalink
Posted by Tony Piccolo - Aquatic Biofuel Specialist
May 10, 2009
As part of my MBA progam in Energy and Sustainable Development at Link Campus (University of Malta) Rome – Italy, I was asked to prepare a paper on Energy and the Mediterranean. I specifically focused on the adaptability of algae for fuel and its potential in the Mediterranean basin. Please find the paper attached.
Your comments and suggestions would be very much appreciated.
I will be presenting the paper at the EMUNI University on June 9th.
Algae oil production and its potential in the Mediterranean region
Tony Piccolo – Aquatic Biofuels Specialist, Rome-Italy
Leave a Comment » | 2nd Generation Biofuels, Algae, Biofuels | Tagged: Algae, algae-oil, EU, Europe, Mediterrenean Region, micro-algae | Permalink
Posted by Tony Piccolo - Aquatic Biofuel Specialist
February 23, 2009
EUROFISH magazine has featured my work in their monthly magazine. The article attached here written by a EUROFISH consultant, talks about the potential of extracting diesel from fish waste and biofuel from algae. The author emphasizes the fact that the aquatic sector has been so far overlooked with regards to energy production, although the high potential is there to be exploited.
The article also mentions the disadvantages of using land based biofuel feedstock, like rapeseed, sugar and soya and how these have been found to have a direct correlation with rising food prices and food security throughout the world.
Tony Piccolo – Aquatic Biofuels Specialist, Rome-Italy
Leave a Comment » | 2nd Generation Biofuels, Algae, Biofuels, Fish waste | Tagged: Algae, algae fuel, algae-oil, biofuel, energy, EUROFISH, Eurofish Magazine, fish, Fish waste, Fishwaste, micro-algae | Permalink
Posted by Tony Piccolo - Aquatic Biofuel Specialist
February 21, 2009
Algae Floating Systems, Inc. (AFS) recently announced that it has commissioned a new 12,000 liter working demonstration unit in the San Francisco Bay Area. This improved generation 6 demonstration facility is a gateway for AFS to the next step of building a commercial-scale facility.
The following are parameters of the systems:
- annual production capacity – 10 million US gallons of algal oil and 100,000 tonnes of algal cake;
- capital cost – USD35 million;
- footprint – 500 acres;
- useful life – 12 years;
- volume – 500 million liters (water is continuously recycled);
- annual amount of sequestered carbon dioxide (CO2) – 250,000 tonnes;
- annual amount of produced and collected oxygen (O2) – over 100,000 tonnes.
Furthermore the system requires low operating expenses for harvesting and oil extraction, and algal oil production cost, which includes capital as well as operating expenses, on a commercial scale will be US$2 per gallon (US$80 per barrel or US$600 per tonne);
Mr. Vadim Krifuks from AFS during a brief telephone conversation went onto say that the initial costs of the innovative bioreactor is about the same price as building a pond. This of course would have important implications for developing countries.
Up to now I have always considered and thought that algae would be a wonderful option for energy production in developing countries (see entry on Carbon Trust), but have always considered open-pond systems due to the high costs of photo-bioreactors. However if AFS claim that their costs would be the same then of-course the options change. Photo-bioreactors are much more efficient, produce higher yields and are not as subject to contamination as are open pond systems.
About AFS:
Algae Floating Systems is the company that develops and deploys algae-based carbon capture and sequestration systems for power plants and industrial facilities that profitably convert CO2 and solar energy into renewable fuels and other valuable products. In the long term the company plans to deploy AFS Biofarms™ offshore to maximize the efficiency, cost and footprint of the systems.
Tony Piccolo – Aquatic Biofuels Specialist, Rome-Italy
Leave a Comment » | 2nd Generation Biofuels, Algae, Biofuels | Tagged: 2nd Generation Biofuels, AFS, Algae Floating Systems, algae fuel, algae-oil, developing countries, Inc., micro-algae, photo bio-, photo bio-reactors, San Francisco | Permalink
Posted by Tony Piccolo - Aquatic Biofuel Specialist
February 21, 2009
The fourth airline to successfully test fly biofuel for their jet engines is JAL – Japan Airlines who successfully conducted a one-hour 747-300 flight test using a B50 blend of camelina, jatropha and algae based biofuel in the number 3 engine.
Amongst all the biofuels the algae oil was supplied by Sapphire Energy, although at less than 1% in total it shows the huge potential for algae fuel as a replacement for jet fuel. Compared to the other fuels tested in the test flight (jatropha and camelina) algae does not use up land to grow the fuel feedstock, therefore not impacting land use which could be used for farming and food production.
The ground tests went on to show that the biofuel was much more effecient than the standard aviation fuel jet-A kerosene, which was consistent with the findings of another airline test run – that of Continental Airlines.
Tony Piccolo – Aquatic Biofuels Specialist, Rome-Italy
Leave a Comment » | 2nd Generation Biofuels, Algae, Biofuels | Tagged: 2nd Generation Biofuels, Algae, algae fuel, continental airlines, JAL, micro-algae, sapphire energy | Permalink
Posted by Tony Piccolo - Aquatic Biofuel Specialist
January 29, 2009
The race to be the first company to successfully commercialize algae oil has now been on for about a year and although many companies have successfully demonstrated at laboratory level and at pilot project level that algae oil is commercially viable, no-one has really scaled up and made the process commercially viable, YET, and I say YET with lots of optimism because the way science and industry especially in the US are working on algae to fuel it is just a matter of time – and money.
The University of Nevada seems to be one step ahead, according to Nevada News, they have first real-world, demonstration-scale project for turning algae into bio-fuel, and it has successfully completed the initial stage of research at the University of Nevada, Reno. Nevada News, goes on to say that the University is on track to show that the process of turning algae in fuel is economically and commercially viable. Furthermore they are managing to harvest their crop outdoors (therefore in open ponds) at temperatures that are well below the recommended average temperature for algae harvesting of >15 degrees Celsius.
The University researchers are working together with industry partners Enegis, LLC and Bebout and Associates.
The University’s 19,000 litre ponds are being used for the pilot in Reno and thus far they have produced several hundred gallons of concentrated algal slurry. The algae are thriving said the researchers at Reno and the cells grow out and reach a stationary phase within 2 to 3 weeks. The algae grew despite the night temperatures dropping to -3/4 degrees Celsius.
Their goal said Professor John Cushman, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology is to develop a hardy variety of salt-loving algae as alternative bio-fuel feedstock, which produces more than half its weight in oil – as well as developing a practical process to grow, concentrate and harvest the algae. The alga variety harvested was selected and cultured by the University, and future varieties will be developed by the University.
Enegis, LLC and Bebout and Associates, are very excited about their investments and expect to see possible financial returns and benefits coming their way soon.
There is no mention on they University of Nevada website on the use of CO2 for the algae. It is a known fact that by introducing CO2 into algae they will grow up to 4 times quicker therefore increasing the yields. Is CO2 not being fed to the algae? I am wondering if there is someone who can answer this or perhaps one of the researchers at University of Nevada, or Professor John Cushman himself.
Tony Piccolo – Aquatic Biofuels Specialist, Rome-Italy
Leave a Comment » | 2nd Generation Biofuels, Algae, Biofuels | Tagged: Algae, algae biomass, algae-oil, Biofuels, micro-algae, Nevada, open ponds, photo bio-reactors, University of Nevada | Permalink
Posted by Tony Piccolo - Aquatic Biofuel Specialist
January 23, 2009
A group of Sand Diego companies; Cleantech, The Scripps Institution of Oceanography, The Scripps Research Institute, and the University of California (UC San Diego) are lobbying in order to establish the San Diego Centre for Algae-based Biofuels, (SD-CAB).
As the researchers pointed out, San Diego has the highest concentration of Algae Research companies in the whole of the US. Important companies such as General Atomics and SAIC.
These companies were named as the lead contractors last month for algae fuel research efforts funded by the Defense Advances Research Projects Administration (DARPA). SAIC’s project received a $14.9 million contract, while General Atomics project received $19.9 million.
San Diego is also home to Sapphire Energy (which received one third of all funding that went into algae research in 2008 US$100 milion), Synthetic Genomics, Genomatics, HR Biopetroleum, Earthrise Farms, and Carbon Capture.
The goal of SD-CAB is to establish a research center on the University of San Diego (UC San Diego) campus. The research centre would not only put San Diego on the map as the leading city of algae-fuel research but it would also have the technical expertise to work on the commercial viability of algae fuel.
Tony Piccolo – Aquatic Biofuel Specialist, Rome-Italy
Leave a Comment » | Algae | Tagged: 2nd Generation Biofuels, Algae, algael oil, biofuel, Cleantech, energy, micro-algae, University of California | Permalink
Posted by Tony Piccolo - Aquatic Biofuel Specialist
Aquatic Biofuel Specialist
