The U.S. Government has signed a research contract with the Arizona State University to discover the best means to convert the oils from ordinary pond scum into JP-8 military jet fuel. As part of a team with UOP (a Honeywell company), ASU lead researchers Qiang Hu and Milton Sommerfeld‚ will spearhead the $6.7 million government assignment by first researching which of the 40,000 varied strands of algae produce the most oil.
We have covered the story on the conversion of Algae to fuel before back in a June Article: From Pond Goo to Alternative Fuel: Algae the Diesel of Tomorrow?The advantages of algae as a fuel source over other, bio-sources are many, but here are just a few:Algae is not a food source for humans and animals therefore it would not deplete the food supply. Algae can grow in nearly any water environment, including water with a high salt content and brackish waters, so it will not compete for a clean water supply. It is yet another benefit that Algae can grow nearly anywhere so you do not have to worry about taking up good farm soil or keeping it out of industrial areas.
In fact algaes second greatest attribute besides producing nearly 100 times more oil than soy beans is that it feeds on the carbon dioxide‚ that nearly all industries produce. Thus making algae the ultimate counter in order to become carbon neutral.
ASU will be conducting its research over the course of this year with the intention of producing a jet fuel substance that is ready for mass production by the end of 2008. With the substantial government contract backing them up they certainly have an advantage over the other universities and small businesses seeking to make the leap from algae to fuel.
The jet fuel created is intended for use by both U.S. and NATO air defense, as well as commercial jets. Like most bio-fuels it is a cleaner burning fuel that would be a welcomed replacement for petroleum based jet fuel. We will watching and waiting for more news to come from ASU in the coming year. The algae-to-fuel conversion could put a whole new spin on the old insult of calling someone pond scum.
What an environmentally friendly thing to say. A little gassy, but kind.
Source[Autopia , ASUnews]
http://www.ridelust.com/us-gov-contracts-asu-to-convert-algae-into-jet-fuel/
Military Inks $35 Mil in Algae-Biodiesel Contracts
Posted by John Davis December 22nd, 2008
The U.S. military has inked a pair of deals worth about $35 million to develop biodiesel made from algae.
Cleantech.com reports two San Diego companies will work on the fuel to be used by the U.S. Army and Air Force:
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) signed a $14.9 million deal with Science Applications International to work on making the algae-based jet fuel commercially and technically feasible.
DARPA also signed a $19.9 million deal with General Atomics to research algae-based fuel.
The two agreements are expected to last through 2010.
For several years, the U.S. Department of Defense has been searching for an alternative to its Jet Propellant 8 (JP-8) fuel for military jets…
DARPA says that more than 90 percent of the fuel used by the Department of Defense is JP-8, amounting to 71 million barrels and a cost of $6 billion in 2006. The kerosene-based fuel is less flammable and less hazardous than other fuel options, allowing for better safety and combat survivability.
JP-8 is a flexible fuel for military applications used in heaters, stoves, tanks, and other vehicles in military service.
related topics: Biodiesel, Government
http://domesticfuel.com/2008/12/22/military-inks-35-mil-in-algae-biodiesel-contracts/
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