Algae.Tec switches on Australian demo algae-to-fuel plant

Aug 2, 2012 - Australian biofuels firm Algae.Tec Ltd (ASX:AEB) today, as previously planned, officially put on stream its showcase Shoalhaven One algae-to-biofuel facility at home.

The company has developed an enclosed modular technology, which captures carbon dioxide waste from power plants and factories and feeds it into an algae growth system. The Shoalhaven One plant is located close to a facility owned by Australian ethanol producer Manildra Group so it will capture the carbon dioxide from the ethanol fermenters.

Inspection, verification, testing and certification services provider SGS is now to carry out the third-party yield validation process at the plant.

Algae.Tec is also involved in several other projects including the development of a similar algae-to-biofuels plant at a cement plant of Swiss building materials maker Holcim (VTX:HOLN) in Sri Lanka and a 50/50 joint venture with Chinese oilfield equipment maker Shandong Kerui Group Holding Ltd to develop algae biofuel projects in China. Furthermore, in December Algae.Tec inked a memorandum of understanding with Deutsche Lufthansa AG (ETR:LHA) to evaluate the potential use of algae oil in renewable jet fuels. The company is discussing other projects in Brazil and the US.

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