Will Search For Cheaper Methods To Produce Biofuel

San Diego, CA-based General Atomics was awarded a contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop scalable processes for the cost-effective large-scale production of algae triglyceride oil and an algae-derived JP-8 jet fuel surrogate.

The contract has a total value of up to $43M if all phases of the development program are completed.

GA will lead a team of university and industrial partners that will examine all aspects of the algae to JP-8 production process. From a technical perspective, algae oil can be produced and converted to JP-8. The goal of the 36 month program is to reduce the cost of doing so to a level that will offer DOD an affordable, reliable long term supply of JP-8.

Among the challenges posed to the team include identifying key cost drivers, and investigating multiple approaches to increasing productivity and reducing operating and/or capital costs.

The program will address algae selection and growth; water, carbon dioxide and nutrient supply; algae harvesting; oil extraction; and conversion to JP-8 -- all in the context of an overall JP-8 life-cycle cost model. The contract will conclude with a pre-pilot scale demonstration.

FMI: www.ga.com