Solix Biofuels uses Algae to make Fuel
Solix Biofuels, based in Fort Collins, CO, and LiveFuels, based in Menlo Park, CA.
Algae can be found almost everywhere — oceans, ponds, swimming pools, and common goldfish
bowls. And while not truly plants, these single-celled organisms have the same photosynthetic ability
to convert sunshine into chemical energy. For some species of algae, this chemical energy is in the form
of oils very similar to common vegetable oil. What’s the big deal? These oils can be processed and used
to produce biodiesel.
Algae’s single-celled structure is extremely efficient in use of light and absorption of nutrients. So
much so, that algae’s growth and productivity is 30 to 100 times higher than crops like soybeans.
Algae production does not compete with agriculture. Algae production facilities are closed and do not
require soil for growth, use 99% less water than conventional agriculture, and can be located on non-
agricultural land far from water. Since the whole organism converts sunlight into oil, algae can
produce more oil in an area the size of a two-car garage than an entire football field of soybeans.
The right naturally occurring algae species can, under just the right conditions, produce oil at near-
theoretical limits. Their small size (less than 30 microns) and aquatic nature makes them ideal for a
large-scale, highly automated, closed production system called a photobioreactor, or PBR. These
systems are highly-tuned to provide each cell the precise conditions needed for maximum productivity.
Algae thrive on a high concentration of carbon dioxide. And nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a pollutant of
power plants, is a nutrient for the algae. Algae production facilities can thus be fed exhaust gases from
fossil fuel power plants, and even breweries, to significantly increase productivity and clean up the air.
The carbohydrates remaining after the oil has been extracted from the algae can be used to make
animal feed, ethanol, and potentially sequester carbon.
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Solix Biofuels, based in Fort Collins, CO, and LiveFuels, based in Menlo Park, CA.
Algae can be found almost everywhere — oceans, ponds, swimming pools, and common goldfish
bowls. And while not truly plants, these single-celled organisms have the same photosynthetic ability
to convert sunshine into chemical energy. For some species of algae, this chemical energy is in the form
of oils very similar to common vegetable oil. What’s the big deal? These oils can be processed and used
to produce biodiesel.
Algae’s single-celled structure is extremely efficient in use of light and absorption of nutrients. So
much so, that algae’s growth and productivity is 30 to 100 times higher than crops like soybeans.
Algae production does not compete with agriculture. Algae production facilities are closed and do not
require soil for growth, use 99% less water than conventional agriculture, and can be located on non-
agricultural land far from water. Since the whole organism converts sunlight into oil, algae can
produce more oil in an area the size of a two-car garage than an entire football field of soybeans.
The right naturally occurring algae species can, under just the right conditions, produce oil at near-
theoretical limits. Their small size (less than 30 microns) and aquatic nature makes them ideal for a
large-scale, highly automated, closed production system called a photobioreactor, or PBR. These
systems are highly-tuned to provide each cell the precise conditions needed for maximum productivity.
Algae thrive on a high concentration of carbon dioxide. And nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a pollutant of
power plants, is a nutrient for the algae. Algae production facilities can thus be fed exhaust gases from
fossil fuel power plants, and even breweries, to significantly increase productivity and clean up the air.
The carbohydrates remaining after the oil has been extracted from the algae can be used to make
animal feed, ethanol, and potentially sequester carbon.
Next
Options Index
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