{"id":69248,"date":"2019-12-05T07:20:01","date_gmt":"2019-12-05T06:20:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/?p=69248"},"modified":"2019-12-02T15:01:51","modified_gmt":"2019-12-02T14:01:51","slug":"discovring-algal-strains-for-sustainable-biofuels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/discovring-algal-strains-for-sustainable-biofuels\/","title":{"rendered":"DISCOVRing Algal Strains for Sustainable Biofuels"},"content":{"rendered":"

A consortium made up of four DOE national laboratories is making headway into investigating a variety of algal strains that one day can be converted to clean, sustainable biofuels<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the third year of the Development of Integrated Screening, Cultivar Optimization, and Verification Research Consortium project\u2014or DISCOVR<\/a>\u2014the consortium team has identified a strain that progressed successfully through multiple evaluation phases.<\/p>\n

This shows promising potential to contribute to meeting productivity goals for open ponds that, if replicated and scaled-up, could help meet DOE\u2019s targets for low-cost algal biofuels.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s a step in the right direction for the nation\u2019s transportation industry, where cars, trucks, trains, and airplanes currently powered by gasoline, diesel, or jet fuels can one day run on inexpensive biofuels created from algae.<\/p>\n

Algae\u2014Reservoirs of Diversity<\/h3>\n

Algae \u2013 these understudied organisms are vast reservoirs of biological diversity with many unique characteristics that are only just beginning to be observed, described, and understood. By harnessing this diversity, scientists hope to unlock the vast potential for these tiny micro-organisms to contribute to the future of U.S. renewable energy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Algae can be converted into biocrude oil using high temperature and pressure through a PNNL-developed process called hydrothermal liquefaction<\/a>\u2014achieving in minutes what typically takes millions of years. Algae cultivation also benefits the environment, removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, making it a nearly carbon-neutral feedstock source.<\/p>\n

Maintaining a supply of algae for biofuel production, though, poses a challenge to the energy industry. There are a staggering 100,000 or more strains of algae, some that grow better in different climates and in freshwater, saltwater, or wastewater environments.<\/p>\n

The PNNL-led team includes Los Alamos National Laboratory, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories. Each laboratory uses their specialized capabilities and expertise to target the most productive algae for the right environment.<\/p>\n

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