tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15306282.post6827810978092353723..comments2023-11-03T02:18:41.733-07:00Comments on WattHead - Energy News and Commentary: Another Algae-to-Biodiesel Process Being CommercializedJesse Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00297127385884430247noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15306282.post-62044397933997632092008-04-12T10:40:00.000-07:002008-04-12T10:40:00.000-07:00Please check out Green Star Products, Inc (GSPI). ...Please check out Green Star Products, Inc (GSPI). www.greenstarusa.com They have been producing algae in large amounts using a proprietary strain and large covered ponds with far lower cost to start up. The University has a nice project, but peristaltic tubes are notoriously expensive and fall apart like a daisy smacked with a nine iron. Besides, concrete supports are not practical in large scale operations.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15306282.post-84855343613726676192007-04-27T07:19:00.000-07:002007-04-27T07:19:00.000-07:00Thanks for the article...it is heartening to see a...Thanks for the article...it is heartening to see algae getting a lot of publicity, something I feel they deserve.<BR/><BR/>I co-ordinate <A HREF="http://www.oilgae.com" REL="nofollow">Oilgae</A>, a site that explores use of algae as a feedstock for biodiesel, and I can say with some amount of confidence based on my researches that algae appear to be one of the most qualified candidates for biodiesel production.<BR/><BR/>While the math certainly appears to favor algae, there are a number of issues to be overcome. These have to do with (1) choosing optimal algal strains, (2) issues faced in cultivation and harvesting (believe me there are some serious bottlenecks here), and (3) cost-effective methods to extract oil and transform it into biodiesel.<BR/><BR/>So yes, there is still a long way to go before it can be proven with certainty that algal biodiesel can be cost-effective on a large scale, but it is gratifying to see brilliant minds (not to forget VC money) getting into this field. And with institutes like MIT (Boston) getting into the act, I'm optimistic most of the above-mentioned issues will be overcome.<BR/><BR/>Time will tell if algae are our future source of energy, but for now, they certainly appear to have many of the qualifications required for the same.<BR/><BR/>Narsi from <A HREF="http://www.oilgae.com" REL="nofollow">Oilgae - Oil from Algae</A>Ecacofonixhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10768279947775293065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15306282.post-49777515015665678562007-02-12T11:52:00.000-08:002007-02-12T11:52:00.000-08:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15306282.post-81619641228536395592006-12-28T15:20:00.000-08:002006-12-28T15:20:00.000-08:00I think it's certainly possible, Emily. I think w...I think it's certainly possible, Emily. I think we'll have to just wait and see if one of these companies can commercialize a viable product. With the biofuels boom going on right now, and the sustained high price of oil/gas, I bet one or more of these companies can commercialize a method for producing biofuels from algae that beats the current biodiesel price point. And like they said in the article, there's plenty of space near existing coal-fired power plants, breweries, ethanol plants and other existing sources of carbon dioxide emissions that can be used to feed the algae. The resulting biofuels are largely carbon-neutral - i.e., they release as much CO2 when you use them as they absorbed from the atmosphere/emissions stream when the algae was grown.Jesse Jenkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00297127385884430247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15306282.post-22140520091248865802006-12-28T13:46:00.000-08:002006-12-28T13:46:00.000-08:00Algae is awesome. We just need it to be feasible ...Algae is awesome. We just need it to be feasible on large scales. Possible?Emilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17627471055025544895noreply@blogger.com