MORE NEWS, 7-27 (ON THE VERGE OF ALGAE BIOFUEL; DOE MONEY FOR OCEAN ENERGY; ITALIAN OIL EXEC LIKES SOLAR)

ON THE VERGE OF ALGAE BIOFUEL
In Colorado, Solix Biofuels makes oil from algae
July 24, 2009 (AP via Forbes)

"Solix Biofuels Inc. has started making oil from algae at its facility near Durango.

"…[I]ts Coyote Gulch Demonstration Facility began making the oil July 16 and should be in full-scale commercial operation by late summer. The plant is eventually expected to produce up to 3,000 gallons per acre per year of the biofuel."

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"The facility is on land in southwest Colorado provided by the Southern Ute Indian Tribe.

"Solix Biofuels has the equivalent of 75 full-time employees, and it expects to have 20 employees at the Coyote Gulch facility by the end of the year for a total of 95 full-time jobs."


DOE MONEY FOR OCEAN ENERGY
Grant to fund offshore energy research
July 24, 2009 (The New England Business Bulletin)

"A recent $950,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy could place the New England Marine Renewable Energy Center on the cutting edge of developing technologies for clean energy by utilizing offshore tides, wind and waves.

"Headquartered at UMass Dartmouth's Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Center in Fall River, the grant will assist researchers from area institutions as well as MREC in…[developing] a full and partial scale test site off the coast of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, which…[will allow trials of ocean energy systems] in rough marine environments for a lot less than it would cost for them to do it themselves."

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"Researchers survey locations, called sweet spots, where the current runs the fastest for the longest period of time during tidal cycles. The current project has identified a site known for its furious currents in Muskeget Channel, between Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, for testing and developing a tidal energy project…[It] could provide enough power for the town of Edgartown and all of Martha's Vineyard...[Funding will allow the survey of Muskeget Channel…and for a proposed National Ocean Renewable Energy Innovation Zone, for technology development, for an open ocean test facility and work on wind and wave energy at MIT, WHOI (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute), UNH (University of New Hampshire), and URI (University of Rhode Island)]…

"The only permanent open ocean testing site in the world right now, according to Miller, is the European Marine Energy Center in Scotland which has spurred development of what Scotland estimates to be an industry employing 3,000 people…"

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"Survey work began last year and has started again this year working with the town of Edgartown, which has the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission preliminary permit. The work was being done by the UMass School of Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) with funding from the Mass Technology Collaborative. UMass Amherst and WHOI are also getting into the water with the new funding.

"Expectations are high…While New England peak usage in electricity is around 28 Gigawatts, the Electric Power Research Institute research center reported that New England waters could yield over 200 Gigawatts alone…"


ITALIAN OIL EXEC LIKES SOLAR
Eni says solar only viable alternative energy –BBC
Jo Winterbottom (w/Matthew Lewis), July 21, 2009 (Reuters)

"Italian oil and gas producer Eni thinks the only viable alternative energy source is solar, Chief Executive Paolo Scaroni told BBC World television…"

[Paolo Scaroni, CEO, Eni:] "We think that solar energy is the only one renewable that really can solve our problems…"

Oil and gas will run out sooner or later...(click to enlarge)

"Scaroni said Eni was "quite optimistic" on efforts to find new solar technology it is involved in with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston."

[Paolo Scaroni, CEO, Eni:] "We are convinced that the alternatives being produced today are not the solution…That is the reason why we decided to invest our money in the new technology, in order to provide the world with solar energy which will be really clean and competitive…"

...while sun is almost incalculably abundant. (click to enlarge)

"Eni is investing about 120 million euros over four years in a development programme called "Alongside Energy" on research for alternative sources…Scaroni said Eni had not found the right technology for developing energy from algae."

[Paolo Scaroni, CEO, Eni:] "Hydrocarbons are not the future long-term simply because one day they will not exist any more…"