AlgoDyne Ethanol Energy Inc., the biofuel company that earlier said it found a technology to harvest algae blooms from the open ocean (previous post), has meanwhile acquired approximately 800 acres (324ha) of agricultural land in Saskatchewan to grow terrestrial biomass. The company now announces it has decided to increase the total amount of land to up to 3000 acres (1215ha) to grow bioenergy crops such as miscanthus.
At the Biopact we give algae companies the benefit of the doubt, even though we remain skeptical about the feasibility and efficiency of large-scale biofuel production from micro-organisms (earlier post). AlgoDyne is not the first company to silently invest in ordinary energy crops as it discreetly phases out the algae venture.
Again, the company says it made a 'discovery', this time that by applying certain aspects of its proprietary enzyme technology gained from its micro-algae research to grain crops and especially to miscanthus, the EROI (Energy Return on Investment) of ethanol from land grown biomass can be increased significantly to a sustainable economic level. There is no patent or any published information backing up this 'discovery' of enzymatic cellulose conversion.
AlgoDyne will establish its own biomass distribution network to supply the ever increasing demand for biomass for ethanol production:
AlgoDyne says its main focus still lies on the development of micro-algae as the primary source of biomass for ethanol production. The Company has gained strong evidence (never published or demonstrated) for the "vast superiority of micro-algae regarding the YPE (yield per effort) / EROI compared to land grown biomass". The company is determined to exploit the boom in grain crops "to expand research on its disruptive technology to produce ethanol from micro-algae."
Miscanthus is a genus of about 15 species of perennial grasses. Miscanthus giganteus has been trialed as a biofuel in Europe since the early 1980s. It can grow to heights of more than 3.5m in one growth season. Its dry weight annual yield can reach 25t/ha (10t/acre). The rapid growth, low mineral content and high biomass yield of Miscanthus make it a favorite choice as a biofuel. After harvest, it can be burned to produce heat and power turbines. The resulting CO2 emissions are equal to the amount of CO2 that the plant used up from the atmosphere during its growing phase, and thus the process is greenhouse gas-neutral.
Tanggal Tayang : 26-3-2007
Sumber : biopact
