A Revolutionary Project in the Production of Lipids Via By-Product of the Biodiesel or Ethanol Production

The Wall Street Journal

• PRESS RELEASE

March 20, 2014, 9:50 a.m. ET


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UT Austin engineer rewires yeast cells for high lipid content

Biodiesel Magazine


By University of Texas at Austin | February 12, 2014


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KU researcher fuels new use of wastewater

FuelFix.com
Posted on July 16, 2012 at 6:28 am by Associated Press in biofuels

TOPEKA, Kan. — A University of Kansas researcher wants wastewater to be less so by using it to manufacture biofuel.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reported that assistant professor Belinda Sturm grows algae in nitrogen- and phosphorus-laden Lawrence wastewater that ordinarily is discharged into the Kansas River after it’s treated.

The resulting algae and water mixture is refined to a slurry, and then processed to capture lipids — an oily compound like soybean oil — for the manufacturing of biofuel.

For her work, Sturm won this year’s Excellence in Environmental Engineering Award from the Academy of Environmental Engineers, which recognizes university research with a holistic perspective, proven performance, contribution to quality of life and economic efficiency.

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Algae protein feedstock developed at UCLA

Biodiesel Magazine
By Luke Geiver March 08, 2011

James Liao, professor of chemical and bimolecular engineering at UCLA, has developed an algae process for biorefining that, when compared to current process methods focused on lipid extraction, is just the opposite. Liao, and his team from UCLA published their findings after three years of work, and he explained to Biodiesel Magazine what they found during their research. “Basically,” he said, “we’ve developed a technology that can use protein as a raw material for a biorefinery, and for making biofuels.”

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Purdue researchers aim to genetically modify algae to produce more lipids; mapping metabolic pathways

Biofuels Digest
April 14, 2010

In Indiana, the DOE has awarded $4 million to a project at Purdue University that is attempting to genetically engineer algae to generate more lipids. The three year project calls for the Purdue researchers to maximize the amount of CO2 that is routed towards lipid production, as opposed to other activities within the cell. The group will also create “flux maps” that focus on the speed of reactions within metabolic pathways, information that the research team says will be useful for future genetic engineering efforts.

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Algae Oil Lipid Trigger Breakthrough Sustainable Green Technologies Inc. Announces Innovative Way to Increase Algae Oil Production

PR.com

Sustainable Green Technologies (SGT) a start-up company in Escondido, California announced today that it has discovered a highly effective and low cost way to massively increase algal oil production. Metabolic engineering research conducted at SGT over the past two years paid off when SGT scientists uncovered the elusive and long sought after “lipid trigger” in green algae.

Escondido, CA, August 04, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Sustainable Green Technologies (SGT) a start-up company in Escondido, California announced today that it has discovered a highly effective and low cost way to massively increase algal oil production. Metabolic engineering research conducted at SGT over the past two years paid off when SGT scientists uncovered the elusive and long sought after “lipid trigger” in green algae. Usually algae store excess harvested solar energy in the form of starch and in smaller amounts as lipid droplets within their cells. But under certain ideal conditions, many microalgae appear to flip a switch to turn on massive production and storage of oils instead of starch. The true nature of this metabolic switch as well as the conditions which activate (or trigger) the switch remained elusive. Now SGT is able to activate the switch at will and to create “obese algae.” This breakthrough technology supports the U.S. Advanced Energy Initiative - which seeks to diversify the U.S. energy portfolio and to reduce dependence on foreign oil.

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Targeted Growth Develops Method to Increase Lipid Content in Algae

BioFuels Journal
Date Posted: July 27, 2009

Seattle—Bioscience firm Targeted Growth (TGI) announced July 27 it has developed a way to increase the lipid content of cyanobacteria by approximately 400 percent.

This discovery will dramatically increase the oil yield per acre, decreasing the cost of algae production and helping algae-based biofuels become price-competitive with petroleum.

During the past four years the entire genome of cyanobacteria has been sequenced by researchers.

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