Algae biofuels gaining support as viable alternative energy source: report
Thursday, August 26, 2010 at 11:02AM In the world of biofuels, 2010 is officially the year of the autotrophic organism as dozens of companies and academic laboratories race to transform algae into a source of viable green energy, according to Algae Biofuels Production Technologies Worldwide by leading industrial market research firm SBI Energy. The endgame of these research efforts—which include genetic engineering and other biological techniques that create chemically induced mutations to improve how algae functions—is to domesticate algae, to make it a crop highly efficient at converting sunlight and carbon dioxide into lipids and oils that can be sent to a refinery and made into replacements for conventional gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and ethanol, as well as various other chemicals
"Algae can be cultivated and harvested in support of a wide array of biofuel products. In addition, algae biofuels systems hold promise to enable rapid production of high quality, high throughput biofuels systems in support of carbon emissions reductions targets, and in support of clean fuel production," says Robert Eckard, SBI Energy analyst and author of the report. "The U.S. Department of Energy's recent $24 million commitment to a trio of research groups determined to bring algae biofuels to market indicates just how much potential this industry holds."
At its current stage, the algae biofuels industry is primarily pursuing pilot and demonstration-scale algae cultivation projects and algae biofuels production facility projects. Due in part to the wide array of production technologies available, pilot projects are expected to continue through 2015 following the completion of demonstration-scale and commercial-scale projects that will result from varying stages of business activities between algae biofuels companies. Most announced development is currently within the U.S., although smaller peripheral markets in the European Union and Asia are expected to emerge due to collaborations with the U.S. algae biofuels industry or as a result of research programs beginning in 2010-2012. The U.S. is forecast to represent over 82% of the global market for open pond algae cultivation systems from 2010-2015, while the EU and Asian markets are respectively expected to claim 11% and 7%.
The major factors for algae biofuels technology market growth include trends in the prices and commodity markets for fossil fuels, regulatory support and incentives available to the algae biofuels industry for industry growth, growing investment in the algae biofuels industry, and contemporary industry activity focused on reducing the operational and capital costs associated with algae biofuels production. The high market growth projected for algae cultivation systems is based upon the growing volume of pilot, demonstration-scale, and emergent commercial-scale projects currently planned by companies within the algae biofuels industry. More than a dozen projects with over $25 million in algae cultivation system costs are projected through 2015.
Algae Biofuels Production Technologies Worldwide distinguishes fact from hype by examining the market for algae biofuels production technologies according to subsets of production technologies: cultivation technologies, harvesting and extraction technologies, and algae biofuels production facilities. The report estimates current total market value and forecasts future growth for algae biofuels technologies between 2010 and 2015; provides an overview of industry trends and opportunities for original equipment manufacturers (OEMS) and suppliers to the industry; and investigates the effects of energy market trends on the development and activity of the algae biofuels industry. For further information, visit: https://www.sbireports.com/Algae-Biofuels-Production-2640167/.
IMPORTANT: No advice is offered or given in this article or this publication. PLEASE ALWAYS REFER TO AN EXPERT before acting on any information contained in any of our stories.
Copyright © 2006-10, Blogertize Publications (http://www.blogertize.com), except as otherwise indicated. Text may be excerpted UNALTERED with FULL CREDIT and LINK. PHOTOS MAY NOT BE COPIED, DOWNLOADED OR REPRODUCED WITHOUT PERMISSION. Note: Some photos of real people may be models used to illustrate the editorial concept. MISSION: "You Need to Know" Our publications are daily online newspapers and magazines (webzines), plus delivered Ezines. Our stories also appear on various newswire services and are picked up in other publications. Our reporters and journalists break or report stories and their sources and source information are protected by the doctrine of free press as expressed in the First Amendment, Reporter's Privilege statutes, and also the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. COMMENTS FROM USERS: We invite dialogue and comments from our readers and limit moderation to obscenity and privacy issues, however WE ACCEPT NO RESPONSIBILITY WHATSOEVER FOR THIS CONTENT. We believe in the doctrine of FREE SPEECH. COMMENTS AND MOST STORIES ARE FROM OUTSIDE CONTRIBUTORS AND READERS AND NOT A REFLECTION OF THE OPINIONS OF THIS MAGAZINE. The opinions expressed by our writers, columnists and reporters are their opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of this magazine, its writers and staff, or Blogertize Publications.TM - Our magazine names are trademarked. Our publications team provide this ezine and web site and its contents in good faith but makes no representations or warranties of any kind with respect to this web site or its contents. We disclaim any representations and warranties, whether express or implied, including, but not limited to warranties of any kind. In addition, we do not represent or warrant that the information accessible via this web site or the products or services sold or given free on it are accurate, complete or current. Errors and Omissions Excepted. By using/visiting this site you agree that use information herein is at your own risk. PRIVACY: SPAM POLICY: We do not use, nor do we condone the use of unsolicited bulk email. Our email system is an opt-in only. Please report any incidents of unsolicited email coming from or mentioning our domain to editor AT blogeritze.com. All matters will be investigated and dealt with promptly. Jurisdiction: Any action or dispute arising from the use of information on this site will be deemed to have been undertaken and concluded in Toronto, Canada and will be interpreted, construed and enforced in all respects in accordance with the laws of Canada and all parties thereto shall submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Ontario courts. A visitor agrees that the applicable law to be applied shall, in all cases, be that of the city of the web site owner, namely, Toronto, Canada.
Persona Corp. and Blogertize publishes several webzines, magazines, e-zines for news, entertainment and information, but cautions readers to read the USAGE NOTICE. Our mandate: "You Need to Know!"
• Auto News (autonews.co): The latest news, reviews and views on all things automobile
• Automobile Buzz (automobilebuzz.com): Everyone's favorite zine with the latest road tests, videos, and breaking news with special focus on sportscars and greencars
• Films and Books Magazine - News from Hollywood and New York, Books and Films
• Webzine (webzine.co): Reviews of the best, newest and brightest of webzines, print to web conversion zines, ezines and online publications.
* Noetic News: News, Features, Research on the Science of Consciousness
* Dog and Cat World: You can't know too much about your best friend.
* Advance Magazine - Body, Mind, Spirit
* LINK Magazine: Good News Report
* Buddha Weekly - Buddhist news, events, profiles from all traditions.
Social Network
Contributors
• Derek Armstrong, Chief Crime Correspondent, Crime Report USA, contributor various
Reader Comments