Valcent Announces Success in Algae Production for Biofuels

from Wisconsin Biodiesel News service
Jeff Pieterick, President, Wisconsin Biodiesel Association

Valcent Products, Inc., is only one of many firms promoting the commercial production of algae to be used as a biofuel feedstock that contributes to carbon recycling and sequestration. In the video linked below, Valcent CEO Glen Kertz offers background on the benefits of algae along with a glimpse at their Vertigro algae bioreactor.



A press release issued by the company in December states that "Valcent's High Density Vegetable Vertical Growing System (VGS) has now been operating continuously for more than one hundred days. During this operational test, results indicate the system will produce approximately 20 times the amount of vegetables per acre grown in a field while only using 5% of the water used for field crops."

Look for more developments to come in this area as additional research and development efforts further refine the technology that shows great promise in reducing the carbon footprint of not only our transportation fuels, but of our other smokestack industries as well as algae technologies are developed that will "scrub" carbon emissions.

Meanwhile, we need to increase efforts to educate consumers and introduce biodiesel into the consumer supply network, preparing for the day when efficient production of carbon-neutral biodiesel can efficiently supplant our reliance upon fossil fuels.

As Thomas Friedman eloquently stated in his New York Times op/ed piece written subsequent to the Bali conference, it's "Too Late for Later" for this generation to seek a silver bullet in addressing climate change before taking action. Instead, we need to be aggressive in pursuing promising technologies while simultaneously developing the markets that will support rapid expansion of their use as they become viable.

Present biodiesel production moves us along the path, using vegetable and seed oils to reduce our carbon impact on the environment. Yet, the commodity markets for these edible oils have unfortunately limited expansion of this industry to date. Nevertheless, increased consumer demand for diesel power as a legitimate AFV option and this industry's introduction of biodiesel into the marketplace as an alternative fuel source recommend continued public support to ensure we continue moving forward in this development of alternative fuels.

Biodiesel presently exists as a "first generation biofuel" that shows terrific promise as an alternative source of transportation energy. Is it the "silver bullet" we seek as our alternative to fossil fuels? Not yet. But the promise of developments to come provide all the reason in the world to keep us on the path toward producing and distributing biodiesel as a "Home Grown Fuel for a Better Wisconsin."