Re: [oil_from_algae] Some basics

Beth,

Welcome to the group.

I will try to answer your questions. If I miss something, please ask again.

Most of us believe that your vision can be fulfilled. There have been a few
people who have made a little algae oil. No one has achieved volume
production, but that is what we would like to do.

It is believed that the oil from many algae species is essentially like
other vegetable oils. So it could be used for cooking. It contains EPA and
DHA, so it would be good for your health. Martek grows algae in SC and
extracts the EPA and DHA for supplements for infant formulae. I don’t know
if you will be able to duplicate their procedures for concentrating the EPA
and DHA, but you can use the basic oil with the natural levels.

The same oils that are used for cooking can also be used for fuel.

CAUTION: You need to decide which you are going to do. If you are going to
eat it, you need to be careful with it. If you are going to use it for
fuel, you need to be cost conscious.

Spirulina is not a nutritional oil, it is a nutritional algae. It contains
very little oil.

Some people believe that a screw expeller will work. Some people believe
that a press will work. A guy in TX reproted that he modified his log
splitter and used it to press oil from algae.

Spirulina requires an extreme culture and that culture will kill most other
algaes. I would not suggest trying to grow it in an existing pond. The
purpose constructed ponds that it is normally grown in are only 6 to 9
inches deep.

We hope to be able to sell the algae cake after we have extracted the oil.
We hope it will be usable for animal feed.

I believe algae could be used for human protein and oil, but that is not
what we are trying to do here. Human nutrition requires a high standard of
cleanliness.

Bobby

On 5/11/08, bcs_mail wrote:
>
> Hi. I am new here. A search brought me to the conversation strain where
> somebody asked if anybody (other than large corporations) are actually
> growing their own algae and using it for biofuel.
> But i was unable to find the answer from the replies. Can people
> possibly re-visit this question?
>
> Also, from my preliminary research, if you could grow the right strain
> of algae in a pond, dry it, expeller exctract the oils (for Omega 3
> nutrition or to be turned into biofuel), it apppears it could be
> possible. This is my idealist summary, I am wondering if those more
> scientifically inclined could set me straight on my
> oversimplification. Some of my questions:
>
> Are the lipid oils used for nutrition the same oils that would be
> converted into biofuel?
> Do commonly used nutritional oils such as spirulina also contain oils
> that could be used for biofuel?
> Would using a mechanical oil press take more energy to create the oil
> than it would yield?
> If you grew spirulina in an open pond, would you be able to identify
> and separate out unwanted algae contaminents?
>
> Though I am sure this topic has been discussed many times here:
> considering the large amounts of land being used not only to grow
> grains for biodiesel, but also to feed animals to inefficiently feed
> ourselves while people around the world starve, algae where protein
> could be extracted for nutrition and oil for biofuel seems like a
> panacea.
>
> Thanks for any comments or responses,
>
> -Beth
>
>
>

–
Toward freedom,

Bobby Yates Emory