News
Siemens Joins Algae@Work Alliance Network
7/19/10 – Siemens Industry, Inc. today announced that it has joined A2BE Carbon Capture's “Algae@Work Alliance Network,†which was formed to develop and deliver turnkey algae production systems. Siemens is well established in biofuels automation and control technologies that will be integrated with A2BE Carbon Capture's photo-bioreactors. Siemens automation technologies are currently utilized by more than 125 US biofuel installations capable of producing more than 7 billion gallons of biofuels annually. The companies will look for new opportunities to expand their collaboration.
See the press release here.
A2BE presents new scale-up insights on securing a sustainable algae-based feedstock supply chain.
6/23/10 – The following presentation was given by Jim Sears at the Global Advanced Biofuels Scale-up Summit in Washington DC and it discloses new insights on the topic of algae industry scale-up. Among these are the following: Newly reduced power estimates of electrical demand by A2BE’s closed photobioreactor technology are now in place due to improvements in hydrodynamic fluid flow and belt based algae harvesting, dewatering and drying technology. It is now projected that almost the entire power demand of a farm can be provided by allocating 6% of the farm’s footprint to solar PV whose diurnal power delivery profile largely matches the power demand profile of A2BE’s mixing and gas management systems. According, slide 9 shown that A2BE’s synergy with oxyfuel power generation will significantly reduce parasitic power demands in oxyfuel power plants while sustaining oxyfuel thermal efficiency. Slides 10 and 11 show how the combination of Accelergy’s ICBTL process, algal based carbon recycle and A2BE’s TerraDerm atmospheric CO2 drawdown technology will produce a globally scalable and sustainable low carbon footprint jet and transportation fuel supply. This A2BE-ICBTL synergy will be demonstrated in the planned Pennsylvania pilot project. Slide 12 then illustrates that 100 mile plus gas and nutrient pipeline separations between A2BE algae farms and synergistic CO2 producers like Oxyfuel and ICBTL can be technically and economically supported. Slide 12 also shows algae farms located directly above the subterranean pore space required for CO2 underground sequestration as the subterranean CO2 plume size and above-ground algae farm size are roughly equal. Accordingly this land-use synergy may ease legal, regulatory and technical issues with the deployment and build-out of these technologies.
See the full presentation here.
State of Penn. finances feasibility study for nation's first integrated coal+algae to clean fuels validation project.
5/13/10 – The state will provide $175,000 to help finance a study to select the location in Pennsylvania for the nation's first integrated CBTL (Coal-Biomass to Liquids) pilot demonstration. The proposed validation project, to be developed by A2BE Carbon Capture, Accelergy Corporation and Raytheon Co., represents an important new clean-fuels technology. Carbon dioxide that is created in the conversion of coal into gasoline and aviation fuels will be recycled into algal biomass using A2BE's technology to create additional fuel, while substantially lowering the carbon footprint for the overall process. Engineers would then refine the process, and eventually build a $1 billion plant to produce 8,000 barrels of fuel per day.
See the full press release here.
An article announcing the award can be found here.
A2BE Carbon Capture presents at the DOE/NETL Ninth Annual Carbon Capture and Sequestration Conference
5/11/2010 – In “Utility-Scale Algae for Beneficial Reuse of CO2 and Synergy with CCSâ€, Chief Technology Officer Jim Sears presents a broad scope overview of the developing algal industry and its evolving relationship with Carbon Capture and Storage. As CarbonSQ conference organizer Ed Helminski remarked at the opening dinner, “CCS no longer stands for Carbon Capture and Sequestration, it is now becoming Carbon Capture and Storageâ€. This may reflect an evolving sentiment that carbon sequestration may sometimes not be forever and that concepts for carbon reuse are gaining consideration as planning prospects for permanent burial become more strained. Please download A2BE’s presentation HERE. We welcome your feedback and questions on the concepts and conversations contained therein.
EUCI Webinar: Low-Carbon Fossil Power Generation, the Algae – Oxyfuel Synergy
11/12/2009 – A2BE Carbon Capture’s CTO, Jim Sears presented a 90 minute webinar to the power generation industry sponsored by Electric Utility Consultants, Inc (EUCI). This webinar discusses the land, water and infrastructure requirements necessary to capture and beneficially recycle 100% of the CO2 emitted from a 1 GW coal power plant after being retrofitted to Oxyfuel firing. A number of environmental, permitting, sustainability and economic aspects of such a project are discussed in this webinar as well as comparing certain characteristics of an open pond algae growing system trying to fill the same role.
The brochure for the webinar with Jim’s bio data is here. The correct slides for the webinar are located here. EUCI has graciously allowed A2BE Carbon Capture to offer free access to this prerecorded webinar here until March 2010. Please note that an inadvertent overstatement was made during the webinar having to do with fresh water lost to evaporation in competing open pond technologies. The correct computation in the attached slides shows that open ponds would consume approximately 30X more fresh water than A2BE’s closed system and 30X more fresh water than a coal power plant’s typical closed cycle evaporative cooling system.
Accelergy Alliance – USAF CRADA On Advanced Synthetic Jet Fuels from Algae/Coal Conversion
10/21/2009 - The United States aviation industry and particularly the US military require the development of technology supporting a scalable and environmentally sustainable domestic supply of high specification jet fuel. The US Air Force has engaged in a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the Accelergy Alliance to achieve this goal.
The Alliance partners include A2BE Carbon Capture supplying closed photobioreactor carbon capture and recycle technology, Montana State University providing high throughput algae strains, Accelergy Corporation’s highly efficient Micro Catalytic Liquefaction technology (licensed from ExxonMobil), University of North Dakota EERC supplying Catalytic Hydrodeoxygenation and Isomerization technology, and the University of California Riverside and Viresco Energy providing technology for Steam Hydro-Gasification.
The Alliance’s Integrated Carbon to Liquids (ICTL) approach combines revolutionary conversion efficiencies of coal/biomass to high specification jet fuel conversion with A2BE’s carbon capture and recycling technology. This alliance spotlights A2BE’s strategic focus on sustainable and scalable low-water consumption cultivation of algal biomass from industrial CO2 streams and the use of that algal biomass in jet fuel production. To download additional details and contact information please click: Accelergy Alliance – USAF CRADA See full release here.
Carbon Cycle Technology Alliance will commercialize ICTL technology for the production of low net-carbon jet fuels.
10/9/09 - Accelergy Corporation and A2BE Carbon Capture LLC announced the formation of the Carbon Cycle Technology Alliance at the 2009 Algae Biomass Summit. The Alliance will commercialize a platform for Integrated Carbon to Liquids™ (ICTL) fuel production technologies that incorporates recycling of process CO2 using algal biomass to produce additional fuel production feedstock. ICTL produces a tunable range of low net-carbon fuels including premium gasoline, diesel, Jet-A, and military JP-5, JP-8, and JP-9 jet fuels. The Alliance anticipates bringing an integrated demonstration scale plant online within 24 months. Please download press release here.
A2BE Chaired Thursday and Friday sessions of the 2009 Algae Biomass Summit in San Diego.
10/09/09 - Mark Allen, a Director on the Algal Biomass Organization Board, also chairs ABO’s Membership Development and Bylaw Governance Committees. During the 2009 Algae Biomass Summit Mark Co-Chaired along with Sapphire Energy the Industry Leadership, Vision and Collaboration panel where executives from Solazyme, Livefuels, Sapphire Energy, Kent BioEnergy, Aurora Biofuels, and the Warren Company spoke. The final presentation on the Strategy of Innovation and Alliances was given by Robert Porter Lynch – Strategy of Innovation and Alliances Presentation Here. The Warren Company has been engaged by A2BE Carbon Capture in designing commercialization alliances with Accelergy and other major industrial partners.
Jim Sears is the Chair of the Algal Biomass Organization’s Technical Standards Committee. In this role he Co-Chaired with the Boeing Company the final plenary session of the Algae Biomass Summit to discuss how the algal industry can meet the Three Pillars of Sustainability: Economic, Environmental, and Social. Speakers represented the Meridian Institute (US-CAP), Sandia National Laboratories, the University of Minnesota, Future 500, and the Natural Resources Defense Council. A2BE Carbon Capture is an industry leader in the generation and promotion of processes and standards for algal industry sustainability. Jim also authored the ABO Technical Standards Committee Position on Sustainability which is available for download: ABO Sustainability Tech Standards Position Here.
How big is utility scale algae?
07/15/09 - Jim Sears was asked to speak on the synergy of A2BE’s Oxy-Mix gas exchange technology with modern Oxyfuel power plant carbon capture systems at the 3rd Annual Carbon Capture: Status and Outlook Conference. Hold on to your seats as your see why 100 square mile algae farms bear consideration. Please see the presentation here.
World Biofuels Markets ABO Algae Fuels Forum and Ministerial Policy and Standards Forum in Brussels, Belgium
03/16/09 - A2BE Carbon Capture will be representing the Algal Biomass Organization Technical Standards Committee when presenting during the Ministerial Policy and Standards Forum portion of the conference and will be presenting A2BE Carbon Capture's algal technology and business model during the ABO Algae Fuels Forum portion of the conference that same day. Please see http://www.worldbiofuelsmarkets.com/ for details on this international conference.
Free EUCI Webinar Recording now Available: Utility Scale Algal Based Carbon Capture and Recycle
02/09/09 - Jim Sears presented a 90 minute live interactive webinar hosted by Electric Utility Consultants, Inc. on February 4, 2009. The webinar touches upon all segments of the nascent algal industry and provides tools and perspective applicable to all future algal industry value chain participants. To view an archive of the slides please go to: http://www.euci.com/preconference/feb4algal.pdf
Obama's Energy and Environment Transition Team Briefing
12/18/08 - A2BE Carbon Capture facilitated and participated in a briefing between the Algal Biomass Organization Government Relations Committee and Jason Grumet's Energy and Environment Team at its Washington, DC Transition Headquarters. ABO presented Stimulus Package legislative recommendations that would serve to level the playing field for algae biofuels and accelerate the industry's development schedule. The recommendations were well received and the Transition Team expressed a sustained level of interest in the developing industry.
Department of Energy Algal Biofuels Technology Roadmap Workshop at the University of Maryland
12/09/08 - This invitation only event was attended by Mark Allen and Jim Sears who collectively participated in the Regulatory Policy, Systems Integration, Financial Risk Analysis, and the Regulatory Standards breakout sessions of the workshop as well as the general sessions. Valuable workshop resources and proceedings are freely available to the public for download by visiting the DOE Algae Biofuels Technology Roadmap website at https://www.orau.gov/algae2008/resources.htm.
New Technology for Recycling CO2 into Fuel, Food and Profits Occupies Central Position in Emerging Global Algae Industry
Colorado Company to Brief Algae Thought Leaders On Breakthrough Carbon Capture & Recycle MachinesSEATTLE – October 20, 2008 – A2BE Carbon Capture LLC today announced that its CEO, Mark Allen, has been selected to moderate the "Photobioreactor Production Technologies" session at the prestigious 2008 Algae Biomass Summit. In addition, the Company’s President and CTO, Jim Sears, will deliver a poster presentation entitled "The Ten Essentials for an Algae Industry". Mr. Allen also serves as a Board Member at the Algal Biomass Organization (ABO), the entity behind the Summit, where he chairs the Membership Committee and Corporate Governance Committee. Mr. Sears chairs the Technical Standards Committee at ABO.
A2BE Carbon Capture presents CC&R technology to Northern California Power Agency
9/25/08 Jim Sears presented the fundamentals of algal based Carbon Capture and Recycle technology for retrofitted and modern power plants at the 40th anniversary annual meeting of the Northern California Power Agency in Napa, California.
Alcohol and Algae Produce Green Fuel Solutions
Rising Clean-tech Stars Integrate Technologies for Improved Biomass Gasification with Reduced Carbon FootprintBoulder, Colorado (July 30, 2008) - Officials from A2BE Carbon Capture LLC (A2BE) and Power Ecalene Fuels, Inc. (PEF), today announced plans to commission an advanced energy-conversion system that will combine algae farming-based CO2 capture and recycle technologies with biomass gasification into an integrated renewable fuel production facility. The prototype system will produce biodiesel from algal oil and alcohol fuel from biomass using gasification. Biomass feedstock for gasification into "syngas" will come primarily from wood waste and municipal solid waste, and will include waste from the processed algae. CO2 produced from the biomass gasification process will be used to grow algae in A2BE ‘s Carbon Capture and Recycle (CC&R) Machines.
Jim Sears speaks on Feedstock from Recycling CO2 at ND Senator Dorgan's Renewable Fuels Action Summit
5/30/08 - Algae production will be a very important source of feedstocks in the future, but Jim Sears, president of Colorado-based A2BE Carbon Capture LLC, said there are still major obstacles that need to be overcome.
According to one source there may be as many as 200 companies developing algae as a biofuel feedstock, Sears said. By his own estimate, there may be as many as 35 viable companies working in the field. Despite all the investments and excitement in the industry, commercial production of algae oil is still a dream. “With all those companies chasing this, no one has successfully commercialized algae,” he continued. “No one yet knows how to do this in a way that makes sense in the long term. However, there are some very large companies working on this so I am confident that we will be there.”
Mark Allen provides leadership role in the formation of the Algal Biomass Organization.
5/29/08 - Mark Allen provides a leadership role in the formation of the Algal Biomass Organization (ABO) as world experts and energy users join forces to harness the huge potential of algae to address global energy, environment & economic priorities. (Download Press Release Here)
Jim Sears Speaks on algal CC&R vs. CCS (Carbon Capture & Recycle vs Sequesteration) at the 7th Annual Carbon Capture and Sequestration Conference.
5/6/08 - Algal CC&R provides a profitable and higher performing alternative to CCS (underground burial of CO2) while effectively reducing industrial CO2 emissions into the atmosphere as shown by assays of algal product life cycle avoidance and displacement of CO2 emissions. See the presentation here.
Algae farms could thrive on Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS)
April 3rd - Jeff Mettais A2BE VP of International Business Development and Jim Sears, A2BE Chief Technology Officer, presented in Chicago at Environmental Finance's Bioenergy North America, on March 28 2008.
An Environmental Finance article on A2BE can be found here.
A2BE's presentation can be found here, and access to the entire conference proceedings can be found here.
A2BE Carbon Capture delivers keynote address to Jet Fuel from Algae scientific workshop hosted by the AFOSR and NREL
February 24th - Jim Sears delivered the keynote address on February 19th at an invitation only industry event entitled "Algae Oil for Jet Fuel Production Workshop," that was hosted by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratories (NREL). The attendees included 35 algae scientists and industry experts from academia and the National Labs who joined to discuss the basic scientific research hurdles needed to achieve cost-effective industrial production of jet fuel from algae.
The workshop purpose was to guide the development and direction of future funding opportunities in basic science that may be provided by the AFOSR and other federal agencies. The full workshop proceedings are expected to be published in due course and will be made available to the general research community.
A2BE Carbon Capture's keynote entitled: Strategic Road to Commercialization - Food and Fuel from Algae - is available for download HERE.
"It's complex, it's difficult and it's going to take a lot of players," Jim Sears is quoted in AP's "There's Oil in that Slime"
November 29th - Jim Sears, Chief Technical Officer of A2BE Carbon Capture, LLC is quoted in AP's Article, "There's Oil in that Slime."
Read AP Article HereA2BE's Jim Sears to present at Algae Biomass Summit
November 10th, 2007 - Jim Sears, Chief Technical Officer of A2BE Carbon Capture, LLC will be presenting a "Carbon Capture Sequester and Recycle (CCS and R)" proposal at the Algae Biomass Summit, November 15, 2007. Sears' presentation will present a vision for micro algae's role in driving a carbon capture and recycle industry with a prospective global role of capturing industrial CO2 greenhouse gas emissions and profitably converting them into global commodities such as protein feedstock, bio-fuels, agricultural fertilizer, and natural gas.
Download the presentation in PDF format here.
A2BE Founder and CTO to lecture at NREL
Oct 4th, 2007 - Jim Sears, Chief Technical Officer of A2BE Carbon Capture, LLC to lead seminar presented by DOE/EERE's Office of planning and NREL's Strategic Energy Analysis and Applications Center, "Algae's Potential for Driving a Carbon Capture-and-Recycle Industry." Seminar is scheduled for Thursday, October 11, 2007, 10-11am (Golden, Colorado), with live video-conference in Washington, D.C. from noon-1:00.
Boulder County Business Report
A2BE sees algae as option for biodiesel production
September 28th, 2007 - by Lyla Hamilton;
Two entrepreneurial engineers believe that "thinking like algae" will provide dependable domestic sources of diesel fuel and help address global climate change. (continue)
Northern Colorado Business Report
August 8, 2007 - A2BE Carbon Capture was featured in Northern Colorado Business Report "Biofuels firm founder starts company with bigger goals."
Southwest Renewable Energy Conference
August 1, 2007 - Jim Sears, CO-Founder of A2BE Carbon Capture was featured on day 1 of the Southwest Renewable Energy Conference during the Renewable Energy Technology Update session.