Photo: Kiril HavezovOil giant Exxon Mobil has tied up with Synthetic Genomics Inc (SGI) to develop next generation biofuels using photosynthetic algae.
Exxon will provide USD300 million to SGI, which will develop fuels that can be used by cars or aeroplanes without needing any engine modifications.
Photosynthetic algae are organisms that are very efficient at utilising the energy from sunlight to convert carbon dioxide into cellular oils (lipids) and even some types of long-chain hydrocarbons that can be further processed into fuels.
"This agreement between SGI and Exxon represents a comprehensive, long-term research and development exploration into the most efficient and cost effective organisms and methods to produce next generation algal biofuel," said J. Craig Venter, gene scientist and SGI founder.
Algae can harvest solar energy effectively. They reproduce themselves and can live in areas not useful for producing food and they need neither clean water nor large space unlike traditional biofuel crops such as corn or palm oil.
Under the agreement, SGI will work in a systematic approach to find, optimise, and/or engineer superior strains of algae, and to define and develop the best systems for large-scale cultivation of algae and conversion of their products into useful biofuels.
As part of the programme, a new test facility will be constructed in San Diego, where different techniques such as open ponds and bioreactors will be tested to grow and optimise algae.
ExxonMobil's engineering and scientific expertise will be utilised throughout the programme, from the development of systems to increase the scale of algae production through to the manufacturing of finished fuels.
Scientists at SGI have been working internally for several years to develop more efficient means to harvest the oils that photosynthetic algae produce.
Traditionally, algae have been treated like a crop to be grown and harvested in a process that can be expensive and time-consuming. SGI's achievements has been in engineering algal strains that produce lipids in a continuous process that is currently more efficient and cost-effective.
"This investment is an important addition to ExxonMobil's ongoing efforts to advance breakthrough technologies to help meet the world's energy challenges," said Dr. Emil Jacobs, vice president of Research and Development at ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company.
"Meeting the world's growing energy demands will require a multitude of technologies and energy sources. We believe that biofuel produced by algae could be a meaningful part of the solution in the future because of its potential to be an economically viable, low net carbon emission transportation fuel."
Exxon will provide USD300 million to SGI, which will develop fuels that can be used by cars or aeroplanes without needing any engine modifications.
Photosynthetic algae are organisms that are very efficient at utilising the energy from sunlight to convert carbon dioxide into cellular oils (lipids) and even some types of long-chain hydrocarbons that can be further processed into fuels.
"This agreement between SGI and Exxon represents a comprehensive, long-term research and development exploration into the most efficient and cost effective organisms and methods to produce next generation algal biofuel," said J. Craig Venter, gene scientist and SGI founder.
Algae can harvest solar energy effectively. They reproduce themselves and can live in areas not useful for producing food and they need neither clean water nor large space unlike traditional biofuel crops such as corn or palm oil.
Under the agreement, SGI will work in a systematic approach to find, optimise, and/or engineer superior strains of algae, and to define and develop the best systems for large-scale cultivation of algae and conversion of their products into useful biofuels. As part of the programme, a new test facility will be constructed in San Diego, where different techniques such as open ponds and bioreactors will be tested to grow and optimise algae.
ExxonMobil's engineering and scientific expertise will be utilised throughout the programme, from the development of systems to increase the scale of algae production through to the manufacturing of finished fuels.
Scientists at SGI have been working internally for several years to develop more efficient means to harvest the oils that photosynthetic algae produce.
Traditionally, algae have been treated like a crop to be grown and harvested in a process that can be expensive and time-consuming. SGI's achievements has been in engineering algal strains that produce lipids in a continuous process that is currently more efficient and cost-effective.
"This investment is an important addition to ExxonMobil's ongoing efforts to advance breakthrough technologies to help meet the world's energy challenges," said Dr. Emil Jacobs, vice president of Research and Development at ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company.
"Meeting the world's growing energy demands will require a multitude of technologies and energy sources. We believe that biofuel produced by algae could be a meaningful part of the solution in the future because of its potential to be an economically viable, low net carbon emission transportation fuel."
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