Biofuels Update

I mentioned in my last post that technological breakthroughs are on the horizon which will help to increase the viability of biofuels. One of those technologies involves the production of oil from algae. The oil can then be further processed into commonly used fuels. Here is a page which explains the process and some of the science behind biofuels from algae.

It appears that this technology is making headway in its quest for commercialization. From the August 3, 2009 issue of Feedstuffs ("Biofuels Buzz, pg. 24):

Solix Biofuels, Inc., an alternative energy technology company for the large-scale commercialization of microalgae-based fuels and co-products, announced that it has completed construction and started algal oil production at its Coyote Gulch Demonstration Facility in southwestern Colorado. Algal oil production began on July 16 following the inoculation of the facility with microalgae. It will be in full-scale commercial operation by late summer.

The biofuels industry as it is presently constituted is currently going through some rough times because of the low price of oil. Algae-based biofuels is a promising technology that could help the industry to stand on its own in the long term.