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Solazyme may be the bio-engineering company with a head-start

Solazyme may be the bio-engineering company with a head-start. It announced that its algal-based biodiesel passed the American Society for Testing and Materials D-975 specification, a significant breakthrough for biofuels. “This means we are the first company in the world to make renewable diesel from a microbial process. Meeting the D-975 specification also means that we don’t have to go through any regulatory process to get the fuel approved to be sold as bio-diesel.” In other words, Solazyme’s fuel is ready to go straight into your tank if you own a diesel car, truck or SUV. Unlike ethanol or biodiesel, it is not subject to any blending law, which leads to fuels like E85 and B20. “You can put it in your diesel vehicle at 100% without watering it down.” The technology is versatile and can use almost anything for feedstock, including wood chips. Through this process, Solazyme can create other oil-based products — everything from plastics to jet fuel to cooking oil.

Petrobas, the national oil company of Brazil, which is the world’s largest producer of ethanol (from sugar cane) is in discussions with at an early stage with a Canadian company developing fuel from algae technologies.

“Air New Zealand and airliner manufacturer Boeing are secretly working with Blenheim-based biofuel developer Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation to create the world’s first environmentally friendly aviation fuel, made of wild algae.” Richard Branson and Virgin Airlines are mentioned as involved. An official of Boeing estimated that, “algae ponds totaling 34,000 square kilo-metres could produce enough fuel to reduce the net CO2 footprint for all of aviation to zero.”

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) noted that more than 100,000 tonnes of algae had been removed by over 1000 boats in the city of Qingdao, China, to be holding the Olympic boating events in their harbor.

Solazyme may be the bio-engineering company with a head-start

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