Development of hydrogen (H2) as a second generation biofuel from algae.
Vancouver, B.C., [WorldofRenewables.com]
SOLARVEST BIOENERGY INC (TSX-V:SVS) (“Solarvest” or the “Company”). Solarvest has commenced a program to scale-up its‟ hydrogen production platform from the laboratory scale to a pilot plant reactor. This is intended to allow Solarvest to further evaluate and improve hydrogen production capacity and efficiency. It will also allow the Company to assess H2 production advances generated to date through the Company‟s algal genetic selection program.
Hydrogen Production
The primary goal of Solarvest‟s R&D programs is the development of hydrogen (H2) as a second generation biofuel from algae.
Solarvest‟s hydrogen research program is based on the Company‟s „inducible promoter‟ technology. This technology, acquired under license from the University of Geneva, effectively allows the Company to modulate or control algae‟s H2 production to achieve sustained production, which has been demonstrated in a laboratory environment, from a single algal bioreactor. While others have successfully demonstrated bio-hydrogen production from algae through nutrient starvation, this is a two stage process that is uneconomical and is significantly less attractive from a production and operations perspective. The Solarvest hydrogen production technology and research program is designed to address these issues.
Dr. Raymond Surzycki, Hydrogen Team Leader, commented “We believe our project‟s success is due to the Company‟s molecular genetics approach to bio-hydrogen production from algae. Solarvest‟s proprietary approach has been to use advanced genetic engineering techniques, under an optimal nutrient environment, to reversibly induce hydrogen production”.
The Company has hired an engineering expert who is responsible for designing a production reactor tailored to use CO2 (an algal nutrient source) in industries where heat and CO2 are a by-product of the industrial process.
hese include, for example, oil/gas refineries, power generating sites, cement manufacturing and effluent water from aquaculture operations.
Algal Oils
A second goal of Solarvest‟s R&D programs is to develop algal strains to efficiently produce nutritional oils which would have commercial value in animal feeds and possibly as human dietary supplements.
Solarvest has signed an R&D agreement with the Canadian Government‟s Atlantic Innovation Fund (AIF) to commence a $3.3 million dollar research program for the production of nutritional oils from algae. The Company‟s first claim for financial support under the AIF program has submitted and has been approved.
Solarvest‟s R&D programs are designed with a number of possible commercialization opportunities or outcomes. The company operates research and development facilities in laboratories located in Bloomington, Indiana, Dalhousie University, Halifax and Charlottetown, PEI.
About Solarvest: Solarvest is committed to the development of sustainable and renewable energy sources to meet growing energy demands and environmental challenges. Solarvest‟s intellectual property is a biologically-based hydrogen producing technology, which provides a method for controlling key genes in algae resulting in the continuous production of hydrogen gas. Solarvest‟s bio-energy production system utilizes light and carbon dioxide to produce hydrogen leaving a clean positive environmental footprint.
For further information contact:
Gerri Greenham
Chief Executive Officer
Tel: 416 420 0947
Email: ggreenham@solarvest.ca