sounds too good to be true....

[Ivan]

http://www.biofuelsmedia.com/news_link.php?new=128

[Eleanor]

I like the company motto :

"Nothing is too wonderful to be true if it be consistent with
the laws of nature." - Michael Faraday.

There seems to be so much research going on in this area that it must be worthwhile, good to see that someone seems to be having success  . [Didn't I read something about it in the "A Green and Pleasant Land" thread  Ivor had it all sorted  . He hadn't managed to get all the approvals though, I think he needs a proper QA Manager, someone with unrivalled attention to detail].

Only worrying thing is the Chairman is called Jerry Fiddler! 

[Ivan]

Yes, I think I've read three algae=fuel stories in the last 24hours in unrelated sources: algae= oil, algae=useful chemicals from biodiesel waste product and algae=hydrogen.

Is there no end to the talents of such a small plant?!

[Eleanor]

It would appear not. I was wondering if any of these technologies could be scaled down and used for more local production but it seems that this lot leave Monsanto in the starting blocks when it comes to megalomania 

Solazyme's product development activities are focused on multi-billion dollar markets including energy (fuels), industrial chemicals and specialty ingredients for cosmetic, nutritional and pharmaceutical markets.

With Solazyme's rapid, highly flexible, and proprietary screening-based directed evolution technologies we are capable of improving single proteins, single metabolic pathways, and even whole cellular systems in their efficacy and productivity. In order to capitalize on this, Solazyme has selected specific areas within the target markets where its proprietary technologies provide opportunities for creating a sustainable unfair advantage over competitors that will result in value creation for Solazyme and its strategic partners and customers.

I suppose it's only to be expected that the driving force for saving the world really is greed - with the exception of present company of course. Keep thinking chaps, the answer is out there 

[Ivan]

I'm sure there's something useful in algae production, but my narrow-sighted vision only sees biomass in the foreseeable future. When I was at school (over 20years ago) I read books which described emerging technology based on algae producing exotic fuels and biochemicals.....but in the last 20years in can't really have made much impression....

In a past life I worked in biochemistry, developing various novel blood tests for diabetes. The insulin we used (and much of the insulin injected by diabetics) was human insulin produced by yeasts which had modified genes (aka GM, although never called that in biochemical fields!!). This GM product cost a lot in initial development, but once available, this complex protein can be produced for practically peanuts - cost is amazingly low. Therefore I can see any bacteria, yeast, algae could be developed (either by artificial selection, or more likely GM methods), to produce any protein, and perhaps other chemicals. However, developing an organism that produces an energy-carrier chemical of greater energy value than the amount of energy required to culture the organism is probably highly unlikely.

[Eleanor]

Ivan, you GM  , it is really the week for confessions of our dubious pasts before we were saved from the dark side 

It does seem that whatever means of fuel production we try it either seems to use more energy than the end product can yield or it affects the availability of food in some way. I suppose if CO2 is consumed during the production this is the best way to go. Oh dear, back to biomass ........

On a related but slightly different subject (don't tell CeeBee) what do you think of in vitro meat production? I've only read a short article in NS about it. It was suggested that everyday meat could be produced this way and more land could be used to grow arable crops (not for fuel  ) but still keeping farm animals for biodiversity. I suppose as vegetarians we could perhaps justify eating this? Can't say I find it an appealing idea 

[dhaslam]

This wikipedia article sounds very confident.     

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algae_fuel

[Richard Owen]

1.3 Belgiums?

What's wrong with '1.9 Wales?

Have people forgotten the universal measurement of area?

[Mickey]

Sounds like the start of a Sci Fi?    Weren't the triffids bio engineered to produce natural oil?

[Richard Owen]

Indeed they were.

The side-effect of the engineering was to make their venom stronger ............

[MR GUS]

Was that not after they'd turned up from space though? didn't they suddenly appear or is that the difference between the book & several tv attempts?

[Richard Owen]

The origins of the triffids are indeed unknown and the author speculates on whence they came in the beginning of the book.

He seems to come down on the side of an escape from a GM lab, without really confirming it.

But I think we're a teeny weeny bit off topic.

[Shay]

Sounds like the start of a Sci Fi?    Weren't the triffids bio engineered to produce natural oil?

Sh*t I'll now start looking wearily at the rapeseed growing down the road. 

[Ivan]

Strangely enough, I met someone last week that is going to Holland shortly to get hold of some algae to test algal oil production here in the UK. I'll keep in touch, and will report any sucesses or otherwise...