Groundbreaking "Nanofarming" Technology that Safely Harvests Oil from Algae
Summary posted by Meridian on 4/8/2009
Source: AZoNano
Author: n/a
Researchers at the United States Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory (DOE) and Iowa State University (ISU) have developed a "nanofarming" technology that allows the safe harvest of oil from algae without killing the organisms. Algae has been touted as the next best source for fueling the world's energy needs as a single acre of farmed land can result in 10,000 gallons of fuel. This new "nanofarming" technology doesn't harm the algae, unlike other methods being developed, helping to reduce costs and the amount of time required for the production cycle. The process uses sponge-like mesoporous nanoparticles to extract the oil and, once extracted, a separate catalyst developed by Catilin, a nanotechnology-based company specializing in biofuel production, will be used to produce certified biodiesel. The three-year project to commercialize this new technology is being funded by DOE, Catilin, and matching funds from ISU. According to Larry Lenhard, CEO of Catilin, "[W]hen we ultimately put together this exceptional extraction technology with Catilin's existing solid biodiesel catalyst, we will dramatically increase the reality of renewable energy. Given the Obama administration's objectives, the timing is perfect." The article can be viewed online at the link below.
The original article may still be available at www.azonano.com/news.asp?newsID=10796
As tagged by Meridian Institute:
Energy:
Energy, Biofuel, Climate Change
Implications:
Human Enhancement, Governance, Economic Competitiveness
Nanomaterials:
Metal Nanoparticle
Regions:
North America
Stakeholders:
Government, Industry, Academia
Food And Agriculture:
Crops
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