The first continuous algae-breeding facility world-wide from ecoduna goes into operation on a commercial scale.
Last week, Vattenfall, the largest thermal energy suppliers in Europe, celebrated the opening of a commercial algae-breeding facility at their premises in Senftenberg (Brandenburg) in Germany. The facility, supplied by the austrian company ecoduna, will use CO2 from the nearby power station, thereby reducing CO2 emissions. Vattenfall has been running tests on the reduction of CO2 through algae cultivation over the past few years and the success of these tests lead to their decision to construct the commercial algae-breeding facility with ecoduna. Algae are held to be the most important renewable resource for the future.
The facility was officially opened by Henning Heidemanns, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Economic and European Affairs in Brandenburg and Dr. Hartmuth Zeiß, Chairman of the Managing Directors at Vattenfall Europe Mining AG and Vattenfall Europe Generation AG.
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henning_Heidemanns
http://www.euracoal.org/pages/layout1sp.php?idpage=14
The esteemed algae scientists, Professor Pulz of the IGV Institute in Potsdam, Germany and Professors Jiří Kopecký and Jiří Masojídek of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic were also among the numerous guests.
http://www.alga.cz/en/en-laborator-rasove-biotechnologie.html
ecoduna is a young technology company from Lower Austria (Austria) which is gaining acclaim worldwide as the innovation leaders in the development of photo bio reactors (algae-breeding facilities).
The technology developed by ecoduna is a breakthrough in the commercial growth of microalgae. Due to the reactor‘s use of a continuous process and its ability to make maximum use of sunlight, it is possible to convert high levels of exhaust emissions from power stations into valuable biomass.
Leaving laborotories and prototypes behind, and building facilities on a commercial scale, this new technology has achieved world-wide pioneer status in the biotechnology sector.
The ecoduna facility, with a photo-active volume of 50,000 litres is the second largest closed algae-breeding system world-wide. It incorporates a number of technical innovations:
Continuous flow; electric pumps are replaced by the use of natural phenomena; complete use of the sun’s energy through maximum surface, ideal maintenance of the algae through CO2 and nutrient supply.
Ecoduna plans to open the largest commercial algae-breeding facility world-wide to produce Omega-3 fatty acids from algae in Spring 2012 in Bruck an der Leitha (Lower Austria).
Two more facilities are planned for construction next year with Cluster Biofuels Denmark and the British Company Green-Acres.
Ecoduna is also planning a number of large projects with the aircraft manufacturers EADS, and OMV to further promote the industrial utilisation of algae.
Until now, it has only been possible to produce small quantities of foodstuffs, pharmaceutical products and cosmetics from algae. With ecoduna’s technology it will be possible to produce products on a mass-scale, for example fuel, eco-plastics and animal feed. The production of microalgae does not compete with the production of food on agricultural areas because of the efficient land use of this new technology. CO2 from exhaust emissions is incorporated and converted into biomass. Water is recycled within the system. The only „waste product“ in the production of algae is oxygen, which is liberated during photosynthesis.
Find more Images on Flickr.com/ecoduna