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NAA Announces Algae Production Certification Program

General Algae News , , , ,

NAA’s Algae Production Certification Program
October 22, 2011

Biotech Institute – Lone Star College
The Woodlands, Texas

“The Algae Production Certification Program is the only one in the country that teaches all aspects of commercial algae production, starting with strain selection and ending with the economics and marketing of co-products.,” according to NAA Executive Director Barry Cohen, ” we are fortunate to be able to offer this annual opportunity to learn in a classroom environment as well as with hands-on experience in one. As this industry emerges, NAA wants to make sure there is a qualified, educated workforce who understands all aspects of commercial algae production and new markets and business opportunities they will be creating, and this program provides the broad foundation of learning that will be needed.”

Algaepreneurs, algae producers, algae researchers, students, algae equipment companies and potential investors/lenders are invited to attend the National Algae Association’s Algae Production Certification Program. The program will provide comprehensive training about algae strains, growing, harvesting and extraction methodologies, as well as a variety of economic factors.

The program features instruction by experts in the algae production, research and equipment communities who share in the commitment to bring commercial-scale algae production to reality, along with an onsite view of commercial-scale closed-loop photobioreactors, an algae lab, and a final exam. See preliminary curriculum outline below.

Registration Fee:
$750 – Non-NAA members
$500 – NAA Members
$350 – Researchers/Government
$250 – Student*

* Educators – contact us for group pricing

Certificates of Completion will be issued to individuals who successfully complete the Program and are not transferable.

Curriculum:

Algae Strain Selection

Algae Cultivation
Growing
Harvesting
Extraction
Economics/Scale-Up Challenges
Market
Exam

Participants will see commercial PBR’s, learn about algae cultures and strain selection, growing algae in ponds and in photobioreactors, and harvesting and extraction methods, along with economics and different markets. Students will also be given a tour of the new lab at Lone Star College.

National Algae Association
4747 Research Forest Drive, Suite 180
The Woodlands, TX 77381
www.nationalalgaeassociation.com

Source: http://algaenews.com/2011/09/naa-announces-algae-production-certification-program/

Opportunity knocks for algae industry, thanks to White House biofuel initiative

General Algae News , , , , , ,

The algae industry is getting its long-awaited chance to step into the biofuels batter’s box.
In mid-August, President Obama announced a federal government biofuels initiative that will see the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Navy split the tab on a $510-million investment over the next three years. The White House program is aimed at domestic production of advanced drop-in aviation and marine biofuels to operate military and commercial transportation — and, on a bigger scale, reducing America’s dependency on foreign oil.

While corn-based ethanol has had a significant head start, thanks to former President George W. Bush’s 2005 Energy Policy Act, this is the time for algae to flex its biofuel-producing muscle, say advocates such as Dr. Mark Edwards of Algae Biosciences Incorporated.

“If we replace corn ethanol with algae, we can do the whole thing with a lot less cost, a lot less pollution, and a lot more energy efficiency,” says Dr. Edwards, the Vice-President of Corporate Development and Marketing at AlgaeBio, and a renowned global expert on algae’s potential.

AlgaeBio, which announced in mid-August a $5-million, first-phase expansion of its production facilities near Holbrook, Ariz., will focus initially on producing omega-3 fatty acid oils for international nutraceutical and food additive markets. However, AlgaeBio is acutely aware of fuel-based opportunities with macroalgae — and is currently engaged in targeted research in the biofuels arena.

With an RFP to be issued soon, the White House’s biofuels initiative will see private industry investments matched on a one-to-one basis.

The USDA will address feedstocks, the DOE will oversee technological considerations, and the Navy is expected to be the main consumer of new fuels, to begin with. Government officials expect the creation of a national biofuels industry will also create construction and refinery jobs, as well as economic opportunity in rural America.

The controversial U.S. corn-based ethanol industry has its fair share of detractors, including scientists, economists, food policy experts, and environmental groups. And while algae has not yet been conclusively proven as a drop-in biofuel option, proponents believe this is algae’s golden opportunity.

“Algae can be grown on non-arable land, using non-potable water, and produce many times the amount of fermentable sugars that corn can,” notes AlgaeBio founder and Chief Executive Officer Andy Ayers. “It’s amazing how much more productive macroalgae is for biofuels, compared to corn.

“And because the product is not a human or animal food in any way, we can use saline aquifers that contain heavy metals, and still produce biofuel from that without any problem,” adds Ayers. “So instead of hundreds of thousands of acres available for this, there are literally millions of acres available that can’t be used for anything else.”

Algae for biofuel can be grown in waste, grey, saline, or reused water. It improves air quality, by producing oxygen rather than greenhouse gases. Producing biofuel with algae boasts a net energy yield, and a small water, land, and environmental footprint, including a minimal use of fertilizers. And if algae for biofuel is grown in contaminant-free water, it also yields high-protein human and animal food, once the oil has been removed for fuel.

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ABOUT ALGAE BIOSCIENCES INCORPORATED: AlgaeBio is an Arizona biotechnology company that researches, develops, and manufactures ultra-pure products from micro and macro algae such as nutraceuticals, food additives, and pharmaceuticals. With access to near-perfect algae growing conditions, exclusive aquaculture access to a pristine brine water supply, and advanced proprietary technology, AlgaeBio produces superior human and animal consumable products, as well as offering advanced algae-based products and technologies for distribution into the agribusiness, biofuel, and aquaculture markets. AlgaeBio owns and operates large-scale production facilities near Holbrook, Ariz., and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Algae Biosciences Corporation.

Source: http://algaenews.com/2011/09/opportunity-knocks-for-algae-industry-thanks-to-white-house-biofuel-initiative/

European partnership to unlock the potential of algal bioenergy

General Algae News , , , ,

 

A major new €14 million (£12.3 million) initiative – bringing together experts from across North West Europe to develop the potential of algae as a source of sustainable energy – has been announced.

A number of leading European organisations – including the NNFCC – are about to embark on a four and a half year project called Energetic Algae (EnAlgae), to address the current lack of information on macro- and microalgal productivity in North West Europe.

EnAlgae will establish a series of pilot scale seaweed farms and microalgae growth facilities in the region to provide the crucial information needed to assess the productivity of algae production.

This information will be used to better understand the economics and greenhouse gas balances of making fuel, energy and other products from algae in North West Europe. Another output will a computer-based tool to inform decision makers about how and where algae could be grown in the region.

“Algae offers significant potential for the sustainable production of energy and fuels. Much of the focus so far has been on the production of algae in more favourable climates, such as the US, but there is a distinct lack of information about how algae grow at scale in more challenging climates,” says algae lead at the NNFCC, Dr Claire Smith.

“The EnAlgae project will allow us to look seriously at the potential of algae for the UK and the NNFCC are delighted to offer our expertise in developing markets for sustainable algal bioenergy production.”

The project’s manager, Dr Robin Shields, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research at Swansea University, said “Algal bioenergy has been identified as a strategic priority by the INTERREG IVB NWE programme. The EnAlgae expert partnership has been formed to develop and implement technologies tailored to the unique socio-economic and environmental conditions of North West Europe,”

“Thanks to close transnational cooperation, EnAlgae partners and stakeholders will gain access to those sustainable technologies most suited to their local operating conditions.”

EnAlgae is co-funded under the European Regional Development Fund by the North West Europe INTERREG IVB North West Europe programme and the Welsh Government’s Targeted Match Fund, together with a range of co-sponsors.

NOTES:

1. The EnAlgae partnership comprises:

  • Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research (CSAR), UK (Lead Partner)
  • European Biomass Industry Association (BE)
  • Ghent University (BE)
  • Laborelec Ltd (GDF-SUEZ) (BE)
  • Flanders Marine (BE)
  • University College West Flanders (BE)
  • Agency for Renewable Resources (DE)
  • HTW University of Applied Sciences (DE)
  • Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (DE)
  • Centre d’Etude et de Valorisation des Algues (FR)
  • National University of Ireland Dublin, University College Dublin (IE)
  • National University of Ireland, Galway (IE)
  • Wageningen UR (including Plant Research International) / ACRRES (NL)
  • Birmingham City University (UK)
  • InCrops Enterprise Hub (UK)
  • National Non-Food Crops Centre (UK)
  • Plymouth Marine Laboratory (UK)
  • Queen’s University Belfast (UK)
  • The Scottish Association for Marine Science (UK)

2. EnAlgae project timeline: the project was formally approved by the INTERREG IVB NWE Programme in March 2011. It will end on June 30, 2015.

3. INTERREG IVB is “a financial instrument of the European Union’s Cohesion Policy. It funds projects which support transnational cooperation. The aim is to find innovative ways to make the most of territorial assets and tackle shared problems of Member States, regions and other authorities.” For more information visit www.nweurope.eu.

4. Welsh Government – Targeted Match Fund; The Welsh Assembly Government established the Targeted Match Fund (TMF), in June 2008, to provide a last resort source of central match funding for projects applying for support from the European Structural Fund Programmes (2007-13). Sufficient funding has been made available to ensure that the full draw down of available European funding is achieved.

5. Swansea University’s Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research (CSAR) was established in 2005, and is located in the University’s College of Science. It is a research and knowledge transfer centre, focused on developing and transferring integrated aquaculture technologies for a diverse range of commercially important aquatic plant and animal species, for both food and non-food applications. For more information visit www.aquaculturewales.com.

6. Swansea University is a world-class, research-led university situated in stunning parkland overlooking Swansea Bay on the edge of the Gower peninsula, the UK’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Founded in 1920, the University now offers around 500 undergraduate courses and 150 postgraduate courses to 15,921 undergraduate and postgraduate students. Visit www.swansea.ac.uk. Swansea University is a registered charity. No. 1138342. Mae Prifysgol Abertawe yn elusen gofrestredig. Rhif. 1138342.

7. The NNFCC is the UK’s National Centre for Biorenewable Energy, Fuels and Materials. For more details please refer to www.nnfcc.co.uk.

The National Non-Food Crops Centre

  • The UK’s National Centre for biorenewable energy, fuels and materials
  • The NNFCC is committed to the sustainable development of markets for biorenewable products
  • We promote the benefits of biorenewable energy, fuels and materials for enhancement of the bioeconomy, environment and society

Source: http://algaenews.com/2011/09/european-partnership-to-unlock-the-potential-of-algal-bioenergy/

Can the algae industry create jobs?

General Algae News , ,

A small photobioreactor is the key to realizing the potential of microalgae to impact transportation fuel industries, feedstock supplies, health food markets, pharmaceuticals, water treatments and the global climate, creating an industry with fresh job opportunities for Americans.

San Diego, California – September 13, 2011 – “If you build it, they will come”, the famous quote from Field of Dreams, is very true today. If you have algal biomass, the algae industry will come. The algae industry has been in the research and development stage for many years but the problem of high costs has been stopping the production of algal biomass and the development of algal products.

QIZHONG LABS, a private company (www.qizhonglabs.com), has found an alternative solution to the problem. It has invented and manufactured small photo-bioreactors, named Alga Proliferators (AP), which is the ideal tool to cultivate microalgae at home and in offices, and can be operated by any of the three hundred million citizens in the country. QIZHONG LABS can also help AP users select microalgae with different characteristics such as different color, growth rate, lipid, protein, and fatty acid content, and antioxidant and hydrogen production. Depending on the microalgae strain cultured, the homegrown algal biomass could be used for biodiesel production, animal feed, purifying high value algal products, and producing biogas. In addition, when clean energy, such as that from solar panels, or the energy saved from switching to fluorescent or LED bulbs, is used to grow microalgae in an AP, there is a net carbon dioxide reduction which helps the environment. The users of APs can remove a significant amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and, at the same time, make a steady supply of algal biomass for industrial applications which could be the right switch to turn on the algae industry, thus helping the environment, reducing dependency on fossil fuels, providing new job opportunities to millions and stimulating the economy just like computers and the internet revolution did.

To prepare the algae industry, QIZHONG LABS urges politicians to pass legislation to reward AP users with incentives such as tax rebates and credit, and urges citizens and businesses, such as shopping malls, hotels and airports, to take action in using AP at home, in offices and any open spaces. QIZHONG LABS hopes that its calls will result in action from people to produce tons of algal biomass every day. Again, “if you have algal biomass, algae industry will come”, the algae industry will be created to use the algal biomass to manufacture algal products including biofuels, food ingredients, pharmaceuticals, and fertilizers, and to provide new job opportunities for the country.

QIZHONG LABS is a private company based in San Diego, California. The company’s mission is to manufacture, promote and market environmentally-friendly products to reduce global warming or minimize the damage caused by global warming. Helping and encouraging algae cultivation at home and in offices is one of their proposed actions to reduce global warming.

If you would like more information about this news, or to schedule an interview with Dr. Qi Zhong, please call (858) 587-6733 or send an e-mail to admin@qizhonglabs.com.