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DARPA Algae Bio-Fuel Project on Hold

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current event by gnifyus on 19 August 2008, tagged as biodiesel, algae, darpa, energy, technology, and biofuel

A while back user smcbride supplied a link to a potential bio-mass energy solution utilizing fuel derived from algae. The process as presented by the Valcent company seems to be a dream come true for many because not only is the claim for an energy efficient replacement for fossil fuels attractive, but the algae also uses up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as it produces its fuel product.

In 2006, DARPA solicited proposals for the development of this process, and since then has also solicited more proposals for the production of a JP-8 jet fuel replacement. DARPA had hoped to award three development teams from several different companies 15 million dollars each to develop the process next year. But now, the entire project has been put on hold as one of the participants, PetroSun from Arizona, has decided to pull out of the contest and pursue their own direction in the quest for a jet fuel substitute. Chief executive of PetroSun Gordon LeBlanc claims, "Our withdrawal was prompted by the uncertainty of the award process, combined with an opportunity to initiate a project with a renewable fuel refiner and a commercial jet fuel end-user." The program had been stalled in May due to a formal protest raised by a company that had been excluded from the original DARPA decision.

Though the algae-to-fuel process seems to have a certain amount of promise for the future at first glance, the potential for the quick replacement for most of the world's dependence on fossil fuels has its expert naysayers as well.

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