Algae Program

Algae Program

hornsby pond The University of Texas at Austin (UT) conducts a multidisciplinary research program to extract bio-oils from algae to produce fuel and other high-value algae products. Success will permit Texas to grow some of its fuel and other chemical feedstocks to reduce dependence on imported oil. Cost-efficient bio-oil extraction is widely recognized as a key impediment to commercialization. With coordination by the Center for Electromechanics, the University has assembled a world-class team of researchers from multiple engineering and science disciplines to pursue and exploit fundamental science to produce the innovation needed to achieve cost-effective bio-oil processing solutions.

This research team includes not only UT faculty, but also UT students. In addition to contributing significantly to the success of the program, some of these students are now UT alumni making their mark in academia and industry. The team has also helped local high school students learn about this potentially important source of fuel through summer internships and science fair project support.

In addition, team members have assisted AlgEternal Technologies and Sunrise Ridge Algae, two other Texas start-up companies in the algae field, and collaborated with 3M, a multinational corporation with a presence in Texas, to help them identify new markets in this field.

Media

UT spinoff company OpenAlage video documenting first-of-its-kind mobile algae processing unit.

U.T. researchers breaking new ground in biofuels

Tiny Algae Could Be a Big Source of Power

The Biology Building at the University of Texas at Austin houses one of the University’s most exceptional collections. Not books or art or dinosaurs. The full article can be found here.

Scientists at the University of Texas are making breakthroughs which could turn a common species of green algae named Chlorella into the newest source of diesel fuel for cars and trucks. The process is called “lysing." YNN Austin video

CEM researchers attended the Algal Biomass Organization (ABO) 5th Annual Algae Biomass Summit October 23-27th, 2011.Here are some recent presentations:

	Non-Lethal Oil Recovery Suitable For Biocatalytic Algal Platforms
	Non-Lethal Oil Recovery Suitable For Biocatalytic Algal Platforms (pdf version)

open algae This is not an environment that rewards large corporate investment in research and development. Companies that prosper in this environment tend to exploit technology effectively and quickly convert technical advances to profits. More and more in the U.S., the source of this technology is from research universities like the University of Texas at Austin. The Center for Electromechanics at UT is well positioned to collaborate with industry to develop needed technologies, as it is the largest and most comprehensive university-based electromechanics research and development facility in the U.S. In fact, Technology Transfer and Commercialization is a core competency – CEM has been commercializing technology from its inception – and it spun out its first company in the mid-1980s. CEM has had success in commercialization across a spectrum of Texas and US industry and has several efforts in progress. Past projects include transportation, energy, and manufacturing sectors. Current efforts include renewable power, smart grids, and biofuel production.

For more information please contact
Dr. Rhyyka Connelly
512-232-1633

Additional Links

	Analysis of Algae Lipids by HPLC and Mass Spectroscopy
	Algae-Derived Omega-7 Accelerates Wound Healing
	Solvent-free Algae as a Sustainable Biofertilizer

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