Reducing the cost of processing oil and biomass from algae requires a complete understanding of the entire algae process from species selection to separation. OpenAlgae’s development team has the broad range of backgrounds required to develop a complete system solution. OpenAlgae works closely with the multi-disciplinary development team based at the University of Texas-Austin to commercialize the technologies that will cost-effectively process algae to produce oil and useful byproducts.
Algae are the most efficient converters of solar energy by a factor of 10 due to their simple cellular structure and surface water interface. The cells grow in water, so they have more efficient access to dissolved CO2 in water as well as other nutrients. As there are over 30,000 identified species of microalgae, OpenAlgae has developed a proprietary low-cost algae processing solution that is largely species-agnostic. Finally, moving water is extremely energy inefficient and significantly increases the cost of any system; therefore, the ideal processing solution will be transportable and located alongside algae ponds to reduce the need to move water.
Onsite services
OpenAlgae’s three technology platforms, concentration, lysis and oil
recovery, are combined to produce a turnkey transportable algae oil recovery
unit. Our processing units will produce meaningful amounts of algal oil
while assessing and demonstrating technical and economic viability.
Scalable, transportable systems
Our novel, transportable units are scalable and have the potential to provide cost-effective processing capabilities to small rural growers as well as larger commercial operations. This scalability is crucial in three ways:
- Rural areas will be able to assess whether land can be converted for algae growing and at what scale.
- Commercial viability demands that water be re-used and transported as short a distance as possible.
- Algae growers must be able to evaluate the technical and economic viability of their specific production system and initiate adjustments to production parameters.
With our suite of technologies, these crucial points can be satisfied through implementations adaptive to the cultivation processes and refining requirements unique to individual algae growing operations.
Analysis and monitoring
OpenAlgae holds the expertise and know-how to evaluate an algae grower’s unique challenges and potential, recommend and implement a processing solution, and monitor the process and product to ensure smooth operations and high product quality. Through a combination of testing services, equipment to be placed at the growing site, and process monitoring services, OpenAlgae aims to provide the “missing links” between an algae crop and its market opportunities. OpenAlgae customers will in turn use or sell the biobased products generated.
Member