Algae Startup #57: Is Heat the Secret to Success in Algae Fuel?

Algae fans, remember these words: in situ transesterification.

Biolight Harvesting is working on a new technique for extracting oil from blue-green algae (also known as cyanobacteria) that would effectively allow Biolight (or another company that bought its tools) and turning into biodiesel in one step. If it works, it would cut the costs and likely the time required to produce industrial chemicals or fuel from algae.

The approach also allows the company to avoid two other major cost headaches for algae companies: bioreactors and genetic modification. Instead, Biolight says it will try to grow cyanobacteria in open ponds, the cheapest growing environment for microbes. The process will also work with multiple strains of algae. Thus, it won't have to worry about keeping any exotic, lab-created strains from being out-competed. It will get the oils it needs from the cyanobacteria by harvesting all of the lipids (the precursor to biodiesel) rather than concentrating on only a few sources. Thus, GMO-ing the microbes won't be necessary to get the yields it needs.

"We are going to try to take the risk out of trying to grow GMOs," said Michael Melnick, a visiting scholar at UC San Diego and the CEO. Biolight will first produce chemicals and later fuel, he added.

How does the process work? Biolight has filed patent applications for a thermochemcal process (i.e., heat and chemicals) to perform the cracking and transformation process. It is also looking at biological approaches. Competitor Sapphire Energy, which also has links to UC San Diego, says it will grow GMO microorganisms in open ponds, an approach that has made many scratch their heads. Still, Sapphire has raised huge amounts of money.

Biolight is also working on techniques for separating the cyanobacteria from water. "De-watering is a huge challenge. It is probably the single biggest challenge remaining in terms of economics," he said. Still, Biolight's process does not require bone-dry algae. It can still be wet, another potential advantage.

I will write some more on the company later. It is the 57th algae company we have identified, but it is one of the more interesting in a while.

Biolight has received funding from CMEA. It has also set up prototyping ponds near the Salton Sea.