MBD Gets Budget Boost for Algae Bio Fuel & Feedstock Project

A Federal government funding boost of $5 million is key to commercialising the development of Bio Carbon and Capture Storage (Bio CCS) technology using Algal Synthesis – a process which consumes large quantities of greenhouse gases while producing low cost bio-oil and animal feedstock.

MBD announcement (8 July 2010):

Algal Synthesis Technology Boosted by Government Funding

Industry leader MBD Energy Receives $5M funding from Advanced Manufacturing CRC to fund Carbon Capturing and Recycling Projects

A Federal government funding boost of $5 million is key to commercialising the development of Bio Carbon and Capture Storage (Bio CCS) technology using Algal Synthesis – a process which consumes large quantities of greenhouse gases while producing low cost bio-oil and animal feedstock.

The funding has been provided through the Advanced Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (AMCRC) which is partnering with MBD Energy to support two key projects – a research and development facility based at James Cook University (JCU) Townsville Campus and the construction of a commercial algal synthesiser at SE Queensland’s Tarong Power Station.

MBD Managing Director Andrew Lawson explained that MBD will match the AMCRC’s contributions with both parties providing $5M each for R&D projects, undertaken at JCU, including algal strain selection, culture optimization, algal harvesting and product development. Additional funding will also be directed towards the Tarong Power Station display project, which will initially be a one hectare pilot project, aiming to capture 700 tonnes of carbon dioxide per annum and produce one tonne of algae each day.

“Our goal is to use the display project as a full scale module that could potentially be expanded to a commercial project of an 80 hectare site that will consume more 70,000 tonnes of Tarong Power Station’s flue-gas emissions, while at the same time producing 11 million litres of oil and 25,000 tonnes of feedstock,” he said.

“Algal Synthesis technology has the potential to provide positive and immediate solutions to many of the problems surrounding greenhouse gas emissions and MBD are grateful for the support of the AMCRC in this endeavour,” he said.

Continued funding of the R&D facility is also welcomed as the research team at JCU, which is led by Professor Rocky de Nys and Associate Professor Kirsten Heimann, is renowned as world leaders in algal research and they continue to improve and streamline the process of algal strain development, production and conversion.

AMCRC Group Managing Director, Bruce Grey said by providing funding for these projects, the AMCRC is reaffirming its commitment to innovation, renewable energy and next generation technology. He said these projects will be instrumental in determining the extent to which captured waste can be converted into supply chain input commodities, and ultimately establishing the potential of algal synthesis as a future commercial carbon sequestration option which could be employed at power stations and other carbon emitting facilities throughout the country.

BIO-CCS algal sequestration replicates the earth’s natural carbon cycle, but speeds the process up exponentially, taking as little as a single day to produce the resultant oil and other biomass.

The process of Algal Synthesis involves injecting the captured flue gases into a waste water growth medium infused with locally selected strains of micro algae and contained in an enclosed membrane system. The algae react to sunlight, growing and doubling its mass every 24 hours. The algae is harvested daily and crushed to produce algae oil, algae meal and clean water. The oil and meal are then sold by MBD to generate income to fund further expansion and the residual water is recycled.

According to MBD Energy Chairman, Jerry Ellis, current production forecasts indicate the sale of these commodities can be readily expected to offset the expenditure of building and operating such greenhouse gas emissions reduction facilities.

“The end result,” Mr Ellis said, “is this technology can deliver cleaner electricity production at the lowest possible cost to consumers, while significantly reducing net CO2 emissions and producing significant quantities of valuable oil and meal.”

About MBD Energy Limited

MBD is an Australian based public, unlisted technology company. The MBD Energy Board is chaired by former BHP Chairman, Jerry Ellis.

MBD has a joint research and development facility located at James Cook University (JCU), Townsville, Queensland. MBD Energy and its JCU team are regarded as international leaders in the use of captured flue-gases as feedstock to produce algal biomass for Bio-CCS. In addition to the project at Tarong Power Station, MBD Energy currently has two similar projects underway with Loy Yang Power in Victoria and Eraring Energy in New South Wales.

About Advanced Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre

The Advanced Manufacturing CRC is an Australian company limited by guarantee established and supported by the Australian Government’s Cooperative Research Centres Program. The AMCRC is chaired by former Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Ivan Deveson, AO.

Since being fully operational in June 2008, the Advanced Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) has played an important role in facilitating the transformation and creation of an innovation driven Australian Advanced Manufacturing industry. Our value proposition is simple: We co-invest with industry and public sector research organisation in innovation for sustainability.

Source: www.mbdenergy.com and www.amcrc.com.au