Companies Producing Algae Biodiesel Fuel

Using algae as biodiesel fuel is a fairly new technology. There are many benefits in using the fuel including the fact that it is easier to use and also much more efficient than other biodiesel type fuels. Researchers have done studies on the production of algae finding it produces 30 times more oil than the other crops that have been and are currently being used for production per acre.

More advantages to the production of oil with algae are the fact that very little land is needed to grow this crop. The sulfur content of algae is virtually non-existent. There are zero toxins in the fuel and the fuel is highly biodegradable. Specific species of algae are grown in order to produce the oil later used for biodiesel. These species have a higher level of oil than normal algae and often offer up to 50% more oil than the typical species. They also grow much faster than the typical form of algae. Algae provides the planet with most of the oxygen in the atmosphere, however, if algae is specially farmed it can be used without fear of damaging the earth’s ecosystem.

There are more than a few global biodiesel fuel companies who are trying to capitalize on this new cash crop. Aquaflow Binomic Corporation, based in New Zealand, harvests their algae from settling ponds. These ponds are run off from waste management plants and are filled with nutrients that are conducive to the production of algae. The method they take can be adopted for many other industries as well. These industries can take part in the biodiesel fuel technological jump that is currently going on. If the fuel companies can move the technology the right way it could change our lives and the entire world.

Aquatic Energy, LLC based on the Gulf Coast of the United States, was started in 2006. They wanted to pursue the vision of producing renewable energy biodiesel fuel in Louisiana. Aurora Biofuels has successfully operated a small biodiesel fuel plant since August 2007. This plant has produced high quality biodiesel fuel consistently since then. Their first commercial scale biodiesel fuel facility is planned to reach operation by the end of 2012. Blue Marble Energy, based in Seattle, has been focusing on using wild algae and plant material to make biodiesel. They have been developing an innovative production process that creates fertilizer and other usable chemicals in addition to the biodiesel.