AlgaeLink® Photo-Bioreactors

[bansalvsquare]

Phycotech’s mission is to provide its customers with leading edge photo bioreactor technology.

[De4sher]

this language is just awful

[TheiRenaissance]

For those unacquainted with the facts the single and only fact keeping algae generated biodiesel from being the main and probably your personal source of fuel oil, to include transportation of course, is the fact that oil prices are still so incredibly low. for how much energy we get per gallon of gas its practically free, when viewed through reality glasses where its obvious that oil and coal are stored concentrated sunlight and when that runs out we will be back to ONLY current period energy

[supperstorm]

where they get their CO2?

[enticed2zeitgeist]

@supperstorm I've heard you can use co2 that's freely available in the air. It's currently sitting at around 350 ppm if I'm not mistaken. It might be higher or lower actually. Big algae farms appear to be attached to some kind of coal power plant that dumps tons of co2 into the air normally, but instead grows algae at extreme speeds. I have read and seen on youtube that algae can be fully matured from seed to harvest in as little as 3 days.

[sporabolic]

this looks really great, is this a research facility or for production?

[jmh11962]

I don't know guys... seems like a lot of outside energy expenditure for a little oil......pumps,drying pressing,distilling. it uses more energy than it creates.

i think the logical idea is to QUIT BURNING CRAP TO GET ENERGY.

[datzfast]

so, pumping oil from 3000 feet down, cracking it by boiling in not energy efficient?

algae oil is carbon neutral or is that concept to foreign to understand.

[clayton97330]

This is the problem with algal biodiesel. The entire system featured here only produced about 200 ml of fatty acids. That was probably the entire production for the day, too. The production scale has to be enormous to produce an industrial level of oils and that take A LOT of capital expenditure and a lot of land.

[datzfast]

i think i can produce 200 ml of blood each day. and you can only guess at how much oil a day is produced. also the idea is to grow algae on the existing foot print of a coal power plant to remove the CO2 gasses. all the Co2 gasses, not 200 ml

200 tones a day

[Spastb00n]

Fortunately it can occupy wasteland. There is no need for fertile soil or similar.

And actually this would most likely be our only real alternative energy source, seeing how hydrogen is still no mature technology.

Fossil fuels are bound to run out not too far in the future, so something has to be the next big thing after that.

[fakiir]

@Spastb00n fossil fuels will never run out, its not possible to find and extract every last drop of oil or chunk of coal. however, within the next 50-100 years the cost of extraction will slowly rise to match the slowly falling prices of alternatives. when that happens, and ONLY when that happens, will we be able to get off of fossil and use the new stuff.

[De4sher]

@fakiir yup, smart remark

[ManaGlassStudio]

Keep it coming visited your website and all. Keep the videos coming! More exposure!!!

[Cbizzl]

Thats the beauty of algae. It would thrive of CO2 emissions from factories and power plants. Its oil production per acre is unmatched, unlike "fairy tale" corn ethanol.

[econator]

been ready your guys info/concerns and some naging. my question is...

- if i buy one here for san diego. who buys the diesel or the oil from me?

- who would by the algea left overs for farming?

- what sickening permits would i need

- who can i charge to get rid of his CO2

and lastly. does that stuff really work as good as they claim?

open for info.

[Cbizzl]

What do you propose for an energy source. Expecting the world to stop using energy is like the proverbial "pot O gold". Think of it this way. The plants grown to make bio use CO2, when they are burned that same CO2 is put back into the atmosphere, basically recycling the CO2. Fossil fuel on the other hand produces excess CO2, there isn't an equilibrium. Not ALL biofuels are totally neutral in CO2 output, but most are far less then fossil fuels.

[siliconaconcarne]

Bio-diesel is THE GREAT LIE.

If you can produce all the fuel that you want, people WILL NEVER REDUCE THEIR CO2 EMISSION. Bio diesel is the same as petrol but never ending, so that the CO2 emission will never be reduced. I'm engineering, too.

[Cbizzl]

CO2 is not a bad thing as you make it out to be. too much is bad, but its a naturally occurring gas. All plant life needs it. Bio-diesel is what the first diesel engine used for fuel. I fail to see how turning a renewable,cleaner fuel is a GREAT LIE!

[siliconaconcarne]

Ok, the plants consume the CO2 the produce at night. They are in equilibrium.

The problem I expose is that if we can produce all the fuel we want, people will never feel worry about its consume so that it'll bring a bigger problem: CO2 emission not limited.

In other way, the mix of hydrogen and air (O2) produces much more energy than organic materia's combustion, and does NOT produces CO2,CO,SOx,NOx,...and so. What we need is to stop burning organic materia used as fuel.

[siliconaconcarne]

Thanks for open this discussion line.

[sparkloweb]

In general, people should not have to worry about CO2 emissions - as long as there is someone thinking and doing something about it. We are lucky fossil fuels have already released so much CO2 into the air because now we can grow massive quantities of algae without STARVING our food crops, which also thrive on CO2. Cheap energy helps to build peaceful, clean, and prosperous societies. Cheap, renewable energy would be even better.

[auxpower13]

greyflcn please stop quoting chemistry and thermodynamics...you have no clue what you are talking about. You are giving educated engineers and biochemists a bad name by pretending to be one of us.

[littledsoundlab]

I want the future now please..thank you.

[greyflcn]

greyfalcon. net/ algae4

[roidroid]

look greyflcn, this is yet another independent company trialing Algae.

where's the conspiracy?

[greyflcn]

I never really said there was a conspiracy.

Algae is clearly the best on the thermodynamics, but thats just it.

The real problem is the thermodynamics of photosynthesis and the thermodynamic losses of turning the feedstock into a fuel.

Even at the top of the line, it's still not good enough.

[roidroid]

You're saying that multiple independant companys are all trialing a non-working algae technology, so they have either all been lied to (they think it works), or they are all lying (they know it doesn't work).

Either way you're suggesting a vast deception of multiple professional companies, or an active conspiracy.

[greyflcn]

Well, there's a difference between lying, or more specifically, claiming theoretical limits are realistic production figures.

And conspiracy.

I'm pretty much of the same oppinion about biofuels, hydrogen, and coal sequestration.

You have to realize, 9 out of 10 venture capital projects fail.

If you want a more friendly euphamism, I'd call it blinding hype.

[roidroid]

You are not calling for calm and truth though.

You go outof your way to actively unreasonably accuse algae of being a non-working system (In the face of rising industry attention that suggests otherwise) in every algae video on youtube.

You arn't a voice of reason. Do you think you are? Do you think this is how debate works - by scouring google for anything sceptical and posting it over and over and over?

[roidroid]

Algae technology is visibly working greyflcn, get something solid that shows (not suggests - SHOWS) otherwise.

[greyflcn]

==Algae technology is visibly working greyflcn, get something solid that shows (not suggests - SHOWS) otherwise.==

I never said it doesn't work.

I'm saying it's not financially viable.

It works, but at $30 a gallon.

Or $1250 a barrel.

greyfalcon. net/ algae4

greyfalcon. net/ algae

[roidroid]

Oh, just Ecconomics? Lier, you're objections were mainly based on 2nd hand thermodynamics information - and your ecconomics concerns are fueled by these thermodynamics concerns.

And yet here they are - growing impossible algae - right in your face.

How do you feel? It must suck, yelling "fake" on every algae video, yet they keep comming! Must be frustrating when you expect reality to conform to your opinion - but it just ignores you.

[SacrificialMullet]

"It works, but at $30 a gallon. Or $1250 a barrel."

So, are you saying that this will be the cost no matter what the scale of production and regardless of the sale of bi-products such as protein-rich cake, glycerine etc.? Does the price per barrel you quote refer to the biodiesel produced or the ethanol?

[KhanSlayer]

Are you trying to say that they are lying and this does not work? I understand your point about the 1st law of thermodynamics but if you say they are breaking the law then are you stating algae biofuel production is a massive hoax? Or are you saying its impossible for as much energy to be gained from production of the biofuel as what was required to produce it so the overal net energy gain is actually a total loss?

[greyflcn]

I am saying that Algae works, however it doesn't work at a pricepoint which is anywhere near realistic.

OR it works but it's not that green because it leaks all of it's CO2 and uses massive quantities of water. (But then this is yet to be seen if this approach will work either)

You have to realize though, my benchmark is greenhouse gases, and "greenhouse oppourtunity costs"

[KhanSlayer]

Leaks all of it's CO2? Doesnt algal oil come from the algae taking in CO2? Using large quantities of water should not make it nongreen. When that biofuel is burnt as is done with ethanol, the CO2 and water used are returned back to the environment. Also doesnt algae use salt water? The world has an over abundance of salt water.There are also claims that sewage or waste water can be used to grow algae.

[greyflcn]

When I say "leaks CO2" thats because the concept was to pump power plant exhaust into it. But then they found that they can't do closed loop systems. So it would leak.

Also are you aware just how much energy is spent on moving, and treating water? It's pretty staggering. Like 1/5th of California's electricity

Also I wouldn't be so certain about the salt water or waste water aspect.

Whatever it comes down to though, money would be better spent on reducing greenhouse emissions elsehow.

[SacrificialMullet]

No. You didn't say the process leaks CO2. You said it leaks "all of it's CO2".

You also state it uses huge quantities of water again not true. Most of the water can be recycled in a closed loop system.

[flamesforfun]

I think people are naturally skeptical of any biofuel that claims to be the magic bullet solution to our fuel needs. The thing is, it has the huge potential to be that magic bullet solution and quite possibly will.

Several algae biofuel companies are sprouting up around the world working tirelessly to perfect and test the technology. Many of the companies are opening up commercial plants this year. Algae biofuel is very real and becoming increasingly promising.

[SacrificialMullet]

I think you're right and I look forward to seeing someone say "This is my car/truck/plane and it's running on algae derived fuel". That is the only way to shut up people like greyflcn.

That time is pretty close and it's an important and exciting milestone. When I get the time I'll do it myself. In the meantime I'll be very happy if someone beats me to it.

[flamesforfun]

I think a company called PetroAlgae recently made a breakthrough in a super fast growing and very oily strain of algae. If there is a real oil crisis, i guarantee you these companies will enjoy a huge increase in federal funding to expedite the technology into practical use. That's just my theory.

[greyflcn]

Also, are you aware of Nitrogen emissions?

greyfalcon. net/ n2o.png

greyfalcon. net/ n2ostudy.png

And of the bad issues happening with conventional biofuels. (Which arguably is the largest damage caused by algae, because it gives some ray of hope of some vague time in the future shifting over to it, meanwhile condoning all the current devestation)

greyfalcon. net/ zeiger

[SacrificialMullet]

Algae processes Nitrogen Oxide in the same way it does Carbon Dioxide.