View our YouTube Channel
Subscribe to Newsletter
Subscribe to RSS
Contact Us
Ohio Northern, Rhodes State, EMTEC, AlgaeVS and Marathon Collaborate on Building a Multi-Species Algae Bioreactor Facility
By Eric T. Baumgartner, PhD – Dean of the College of Engineering, Ohio Northern University
A collaborative team consisting of university and industry partners recently submitted a proposal to the Third Frontier Wright Projects program to build a Multi-Species Algae Bioreactor Facility on the campus of Ohio Northern University in Ada. ONU was supported on the proposal effort by AlgaeVS and Marathon Petroleum Company who represent industries that are committed to the development and use of renewable resources such as bioplastics and biodiesel fuels. Rhodes State College and the Edison Materials Technology Center (EMTEC) rounded out the proposal team.
The proposed effort seeks to develop the technology required for a loosely-controlled algae growing system that will allow multiple algae species to thrive within the bioreactor environment. The resulting system will be based around algal communities that grow naturally within Ohio’s freshwater environments. It is expected that the growth and development of naturally-occurring algae species within the bioreactor facility will result in a cost-effective solution to algae farming by achieving consistent algae harvest yields and by reducing the need for tight contamination control techniques and methodologies.
The effort will build on AlgaeVS’s significant activities associated with the development of Rapid Algae Farming systems. Ohio Northern University will also leverage faculty expertise within the College of Engineering and the Department of Biological and Allied Health Sciences for the design, construction and implementation of the Multi-Species Algae Bioreactor facility at ONU. The resulting technology solutions within the bioreactor facility will be commercialized in conjunction with AlgaeVS’s Rapid Algae Farming system. In addition, the specific algae oil products that are produced by the Multi-Species Algae Bioreactor facility will be evaluated for commercialization potential by AlgaeVS for use within their various plastic packaging products, by Marathon Petroleum Company for use as a biodiesel product, and by EMTEC as a potential bio-based jet fuel product.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 10th, 2009 at 11:36 am and is filed under Articles. You can leave a response below.