US DOE grants USD 22.5m for algae-to-biofuel projects

Aug 2, 2013 - The US Department of Energy (DOE) said on Thursday it would grant USD 22.5 million (EUR 17m) to companies investing in projects for the production of fuel from algae and other biomass feedstock.

Four eligible projects in California, Hawaii and New Mexico will share USD 16.5 million in funding for breaking down technical barriers and accelerating the development of sustainable, affordable algae biofuels. Among the project developers are Hawaii Bioenergy LLC, Sapphire Energy Inc and New Mexico State University, each getting USD 5 million to develop algae-based fuel technologies.

More specifically, Hawaii Bioenergy will develop a cost-effective photosynthetic open pond system to produce algal oil. Sapphire Energy will work on creating a new process for the production of algae-based fuel which is compatible with existing refineries, while New Mexico State University's project aims to boost the yield of a microalgae, while developing harvesting and cultivation processes that reduce costs and support year-round production. In addition, California Polytechnic State University will receive USD 1.5 million for conducting research on boosting the productivity of algae.

Last but not least, Ohio-based FDC Enterprises Inc will grab about USD 6 million of the total grant to upgrade the process for gathering wood, grass and agricultural waste -- the feedstocks needed for producing advanced biofuels.

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.757)

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