California Research Grant to Convert Algae into Biofuels with Nanocatalysts
Summary posted by Meridian on 2/25/2009
Source: Nanowerk
Author: n/a
The California Energy Commission has awarded a research grant to the company QuantumSphere, Inc. to develop a process using nanocatalysts to convert biomass into biofuels. The one-year development grant will fund the company's algae biogasification process that utilizes nanometals as catalysts for turning algae into methane, hydrogen, and other synthetic gasses that can be used for transportation and other energy needs. Algae is believed to have an enormous energy potential as it grows 20 to 30 times faster than food crops, can be grown almost anywhere, and contains up to 30 times more fuel than equivalent amounts of other bio fuel sources. "Our vision for this project was to use this process to take wet algae produced in a place like the Salton Sea in the Imperial Valley of California and convert it into renewable fuels," said Subra Iyer, principal technologist for QuantumSphere, Inc. "The Salton Sea is a place for large amounts of agricultural runoff which sometimes creates large algae blooms. If successful, we envision a large plant on the shore of the Salton Sea that could convert large amounts of wet algae into renewable fuels." The article can be viewed online at the link below.
The original article may still be available at www.nanowerk.com/news/newsid=9404.php
As tagged by Meridian Institute:
Energy:
Energy, Biofuel
Implications:
Human Enhancement, Governance
Nanomaterials:
Metal Nanoparticle
Regions:
North America
Stakeholders:
Government, Industry, NGO, Academia
Minerals And Metals:
Metals
Food And Agriculture:
Crops
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