QuantumSphere, Inc.,
a leading developer of advanced catalyst materials, high-performance electrode
systems, and related process chemistries for portable power and clean-tech applications,
today announced that it was awarded a research grant from the California Energy
Commission to develop a process using nanocatalysts to convert biomass into
biofuels.
The grant was awarded under the commission's Energy Innovations Small Grant
program (EISG) and will fund the one-year development of an algae biogasification
process that utilizes nanometals as catalysts for the purposes of turning vegetation
and similar biomass materials into methane, hydrogen, or other synthetic gases
that can be used for transportation and other energy needs. QuantumSphere will
build a small-scale platform over the next 12 months to demonstrate the effectiveness
of the process.
Algae-based bio fuels hold great promise due to their enormous energy potential.
According to experts, algae grows 20 to 30 times faster than food crops, contains
up to 30 times more fuel than equivalent amounts of other bio fuel sources,
and can be grown almost anywhere. Studies show that algae can produce up to
60% of its biomass in the form of oil or carbohydrates. This oil can then be
turned into biodiesel which could be sold for use in automobiles. The carbohydrates
can be turned into alcohols, or gasified to bio gas, hydrogen, or methane, for
many industrial applications.
"Our vision for this project was to use this process to take wet algae
produced in a place like the Salton Sea in the Imperial Valley of California
and convert it into renewable fuels," said Subra Iyer, principal technologist
for QuantumSphere, Inc. "The Salton Sea is a place for large amounts of
agricultural runoff which sometimes creates large algae blooms. If successful,
we envision a large plant on the shore of the Salton Sea that could convert
large amounts of wet algae into renewable fuels."
The feasibility of the proposal is based on research the company has conducted
using nanometals as catalysts. Iyer said the process is designed to convert
any biomass, such as leaves, algae, vegetable waste, or corn stalks, into fuel.
The EISG provides funding for hardware projects to small businesses, nonprofits,
individuals, and academic institutions to conduct research that establishes
the feasibility of new and innovative energy concepts. Research projects must
target one of the Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) areas, address a California
energy problem, and provide a potential benefit to California electric and natural
gas consumers.
Posted February 24th, 2009
