Since June 2009 the Algae to Fuel (ATF) project has been exploring the best strategy for creating, cultivating, and expanding an “algaculture” industry for Ohio. This effort has been divided into examination of three main areas: 1) selection of algae suitable for optimizing oil production based on climate factors; 2) development of cultivation systems (growing locations, harvesting, dewatering, and separation techniques); and 3) cultivation strategy (algae harvesting, processing into value-added products, etc.). This public/private technical effort has been jointly led by three Ohio organizations: the Ohio Aerospace Institute (OAI) of Brook Park, the Edison Materials Technology Center (EMTEC) of Dayton, and the Center for Innovative Food Technology (CIFT) of Toledo along with several other industry and university collaborators, including IBP. The recent development by IBP represents the achievement of one goal of the federally funded initiative: to demonstrate the feasibility of deriving military fuel from Ohio-grown algae.

To achieve this most recent milestone IBP used proprietary technology to cultivate the algae in raceway ponds in Belmont County. Some of the ponds were heated using IBP’s patent pending system demonstrating operations throughout the winter. The algae was subsequently separated from water and dried followed by extraction and purification of the algae oil. The algae oil was upgraded to fuel by Applied Research Associates (ARA) of Panama City, FL using a catalytic hydrothermolysis (CH) process to convert the plant triglycerides to pure hydrocarbons very similar to their petroleum counterparts. (View media coverage of the projects here).

Dr. Joseph Hager, Director Technology Transfer Programs, has been the technical lead for the ATF project at EMTEC. Hager stated, that the IBP effort and test results are significant for two major reasons: “1) The IBP development adds to the growing evidence that aviation fuel may be derived from domestically grown crops independent of foreign petroleum sources, and 2) Oil derived from Ohio-grown algae cultivated in open ponds demonstrates that this future fuel-producing crop may be sited in the harsher winter climates of the Midwest.” Due to the potential yield per acre of algae to fuel crops in comparison with other field crops, algae ponds are considered to be one of the most promising and economically viable agricultural methods of producing biomass for fuel. The fact that algae ponds can be located on marginal land also permits biomass cultivation for fuel that does not compete with food production.

About Independence Bio-Products (IBP)
Independence Bio-Products grows and harvests algae which produces bio-fuel and animal feed. The company has successfully produced low cost algal bio-mass from its pilot facility, which was online for 18 months at a coal burning power plant in Ohio. The company is also currently in development on a commercial project that will begin construction in 2011 in Texas.

About Edison Materials Technology Center (EMTEC)
EMTEC is a full service, non-profit, technology commercialization partner with engineering, technical, and business expertise in cross-cutting technologies such as advanced energy; instruments, controls, and electronics; and advanced materials. EMTEC develops technology and business strategies, sponsors and manages collaborative technology projects and programs, and provides technology and business based assistance that facilitate the commercialization of new technology. Efficiently using its leveraging capabilities, EMTEC parlays existing capital and intellectual assets in Ohio to attract new investments, new products, and new technologies.

About Ohio Aerospace Institute (OAI)
OAI is a unique collaboration among the industry, academic, and government sectors, fostering United States competitiveness through research, education, and the adaptation of technology. Founded in 1989, it has 22 major industrial partners, over 60 small businesses, 10 universities, and the Ohio Federal Aerospace Laboratories (NASA Glenn Research Center and the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base) in its membership. OAI has developed the expertise to manage complex projects. The Institute has served as facilitator, program manager, and contracting officer for more than 100 federally-funded programs valued at more than $210 million.

About Center for Food Technologies (CIFT)
Since 1995, the Center for Innovative Food Technology (CIFT), has provided technical solutions to companies involved in one of Ohio’s largest and most economically significant industries – food production, processing, and packaging. CIFT’s mission is to help members of the agribusiness sector to improve their competitive position through the development and adaptation of emerging technologies, industry best practices, and novel business approaches. CIFT operates through a number of business models, including corporate memberships, fee based services, and, in some cases, can locate or provide funding for projects.

About Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)
The Air Force Research Laboratory, with headquarters at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is a broad-spectrum laboratory that leads a worldwide partnership of government, industry and academic resources in the discovery, development and delivery of advanced technology. The lab manages a budget of nearly $3.7 billion and employs approximately 1,400 military and 4,400 civilian personnel.

For additional information, please contact Brad Lambert at Independence Bio-Products by telephone at (937) 259-1365 or by email at brad.lambert(at)independencebioproducts(dot)com.

They have been supportive of Ohio’s Third Frontier Initiative, specifically The Third Frontier Internship program Schools most notably The University of Cincinnati, Miami University, Ohio State University, and the University of Dayton. E Technologies Group has been working with Edison Material Technology which has allowed them to hire Ohio’s best and brightest students from Ohio’s Engineering Center (EMTEC), Dayton, OH to expand their firm’s efforts in advancing instrumentation, controls and electronics development to assist Ohio manufacturers in its transition to new and competitive technologies. Frank Svet, President and CEO of EMTEC commented, “E-Technologies Group success exemplifies what is possible when a small company pays attention to its products, its customers and its employees. You can sense it the moment that you engage in any project with them.”

E-Technologies Group has been recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the Top 50 Private Companies in the category of Engineering and ranked 1384 out of 5000 of the Fastest Growing Private Companies in America for 2009. They also recently received The Faith in the Future Award from The Middletown Business Chamber for adding 30 high paying jobs and supporting manufacturing in Southwest Ohio.

The Edison Center Directors Council awards signify the belief that manufacturing today is still relevant and important not only to Ohio but to our nation, and our position as a leader in innovation and product development. Douglas Fagaly, Co-President of E-Technologies Group believes that even though technology will lead Ohio to position itself as a leader in a more technology driven manufacturing, it is our faith in people, our midwest work ethic and our continued investment in human capital that will be the driver to Ohio’s economic growth.

Stephen Veldhuis, Co-President of E-Technologies Group noted a change in process development opportunities for manufacturers, in that, if we are to remain successful in today’s demanding global market, we must continue to adapt to new technologies. Today’s American manufacturers need to stay current and realize that the risk and cost of staying with existing technologies is far greater, than the risk and cost of adapting to new technologies. To stay with existing technologies because we are comfortable, will stagnate growth and compromise our position in the global marketplace.

The Edison Materials Technology Center (EMTEC) in Dayton, OH, is a non-profit, member-based organization serving Ohio’s technology companies. As an organization that creates business and technology strategies, sponsors, coordinates and manages collaborative projects leading to commercialization, and assisting new business formation EMTEC is committed to the mission of accelerating materials technologies to the market.

The project identifies that electricity consumed in data center and telecom systems is at 3 percent of the U.S. total and growing rapidly. Historically, the energy used to provide cooling for Data Centers is upwards of 45 percent of the total facility power. Over the last several years, there have been significant efforts to improve the energy used for IT cooling by making small improvements to the cooling equipment and the control of air movement.

In concert with the U.S. Dept. of Energy EERE Recovery Act program for “Energy Efficient Information and Communication Technology, “ (DE-FOA-0000107) this proposed project will develop a fundamentally new architecture based upon liquid cooling and encompassing both infrastructure and equipment. It will be low cost, have a small carbon footprint and design that comprehends board layout for heat transfer from the servers’ internal components to ultimate dissipation of the heat to the ambient environment. Existing components, technologies and work practices will be used wherever possible.

The Edison Materials Technology Center (EMTEC) in Dayton, OH is a non-profit, member-based organization serving technology companies. As an organization that creates business and technology strategies; sponsors, coordinates, and manages collaborative projects leading to commercialization assistance to industry, universities, and government labs to strengthen industrial competitiveness in alternative energy, materials, instrumentation, control and electronics, automotive, medical device manufacturing, and advancing science.