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Testing of coal-based algae-to-biofuels system begins at Sunflo
Kansas The Sunflower Integrated Bioenergy Center project reached a milestone recently when equipment arrived to begin the first phase of on-site testing for an innovative coal-based algae-to-biofuels system. Following testing and demonstration of the technology, the system could be used to produce renewable fuels from carbon dioxide emissions at the existing and two proposed coal-fired generating units at Holcomb Station. The equipment will soon be used to identify the strains of algae that grow best in western Kansas when attached to Sunflower's coal-based plant at Holcomb, Kan. Funding for this initial phase of development is being provided by Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc., Westminster, Colo., and Sunflower, both partners in the Holcomb Expansion project. "This is an important first step in our efforts to demonstrate that coal-based flue gas can be utilized for beneficial purposes," said Earl Watkins, Sunflower's president and CEO. "I look forward to the day when this project is completed and we are facilitating the production of renewable energy which benefits our agricultural producers in central and western Kansas." GreenFuel Technologies, the developer for the algae farm subsystem, delivered a mobile laboratory in mid July which will be used to ensure that flue gas from Sunflower's power plant can be used to grow microalgae in an enclosed environment. If this test is successful, additional tests will determine which specific strain will grow best in western Kansas with Sunflower's plant. "GreenFuel recently learned valuable production lessons at their Arizona algae project that will benefit the Holcomb Expansion partners, so we are pleased they have decided to focus their efforts on five projects globally and provide us with their fourth generation technology," said Clare Gustin, Sunflower's vice president, member services and external affairs. "We are dealing with leading edge technologies, so we understand that as we move from an emerging technology to one that is commercially viable, we will have obstacles to overcome." She added, "Sunflower has a proud tradition of involving itself in new technology and we look forward to working even more closely with GreenFuel as they increase their efforts on our project at Holcomb." GreenFuel's Emissions-to-Biofuels process uses naturally occurring algae to capture and reduce flue gas CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. When the algae farm is commercially operational, the algae will be harvested daily and be converted into a broad range of biofuels or high-value animal feed supplements. GreenFuel recently announced successful projects at Louisiana Power and Arizona Public Service Company where they recycled the CO2 from the stack gases of a power plant into transportation grade biofuels. Development of the anaerobic digester, biodiesel plant, and dairy subsystems is ongoing with the ethanol plant projected to be under construction later this fall. The total projected investment is expected to be $417 million and will create 161 new jobs. B 8 8/13/07 1 Star WK Date: 8/9/07
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