Like all alternative energy proposals, the devil is in one detail --
how much energy must be invested to producing the alternative
fuel. If the ratio is greater than 1, it is NOT, and never can be, an
energy source, it is an energy sink. Such numbers are almost
never provided, even ball park estimates, although you can be
sure any smart company has them. The real answer, of course,
is to build a pilot plant, keep careful track of the embedded
energy in the plant, and the real energy costs of inputs and
operation, and get real numbers. That is what Solazyme is doing,
and the proof will be in the pudding. It would be nice however, if
SmartPlanet's smart reporters showed some sign of
understanding this concept, and always included some reference
to it. Much of what is being touted as an energy future is in fact
an energy sink, thermodynamically speaking.
Industrial biotech outfit Solazyme has again partnered with Colombia’s largest oil corporation, Ecopetrol, to produce renewable biofuel derived from microalgae.
The companies have been working to determine the manufacturing viability of algae-based diesel fuel using Colombian feedstocks such as sugarcane and byproduct glycerol.
Until now, the companies’ two-year partnership was mostly research and development-oriented. This week’s’ announcement marks the third phase, which includes:
- Establishing feedstock specifications and optimization.
- Conducting large-scale fermentation.
- Engineering demonstration scale facilities.
The goal: commercial deployment of renewable oil and fuel production.
Ecopetrol plans to offer at least 450 million tons of fuel made from renewable oil sources by 2015.
“Solazyme’s technology will provide Colombia with renewable sources of oil and fuel that dramatically reduce carbon pollution by replacing petro-diesel with a ‘drop-in’ replacement made using algae,” said Solazyme CEO Jonathan Wolfson in a statement.
Last year, SmartPlanet visited San Francisco, Calif.-based Solazyme’s offices to find out more about the company’s biofuel tech. Here’s a look:
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