Viral Genetics, Inc. has launched a subsidiary named “VG Energy, Inc.”, formed to market the company’s biofuel technology.
In VG Energy’s technology portfolio are optimization methods for algae-based biofuel technologies that can triple the oil production in algae, resulting in higher yields and easier processing and extraction steps; valuable for making algal biofuels more cost effective. This method is based on an additive that alters the way plants and algae control their storage and production of these oils; the oils are not used for energy by the algae and are secreted rather than stored; this allows the oil to be extracted without killing the feedstock. Also, because there is no genetic modification involved the method avoids several legal issues
Viral Genetics’ CEO Haig Keledjian:
Some of the studies were undertaken at the Texas Life Sciences Collaboration Center, funded by the Texas Emerging Technology Fund, a $200 million initiative created by the Texas Legislature in 2005. VG Energy lead researcher Dr. M. Karen Newell-Rogers recently obtained a $750,000 grant from the fund to study and develop the yield-enhancing technology in her academic research laboratories at the Texas AgriLife Research Blacklands campus. She is the inventor behind a patent and several patent applications under exclusive license to VG Energy directed to methods for dramatically increasing the volume of oils produced by algae and other plants.
VG Energy Lead Researcher, Dr. M. Karen Newell-Rogers:
“Our research seems to indicate that we can trigger plant cells to increase their fat stores. We can manipulate plant cells so that they store oil and eventually release those reserves instead of burning the fat for fuel when glucose stores are low. The end result is more oil is available for processing into a biofuel.”
The commercialization of this technology is an important step for the algal biofuel industry; increased yields of oil and particularly the secretion of oils by the algae are steps towards overcoming some of the greatest challenges in that field. The fact that oils can be collected directly from a living culture removes several processing steps and is therefore cheaper; usually the algae must be dried and the oils extracted from the dry biomass. Also, the fact that the algae do not have to be killed to extract the oil means that the algae culture can be run longer and run continuously rather than in batches, therefore potentially minimizing equipment downtime during production.
In VG Energy’s technology portfolio are optimization methods for algae-based biofuel technologies that can triple the oil production in algae, resulting in higher yields and easier processing and extraction steps; valuable for making algal biofuels more cost effective. This method is based on an additive that alters the way plants and algae control their storage and production of these oils; the oils are not used for energy by the algae and are secreted rather than stored; this allows the oil to be extracted without killing the feedstock. Also, because there is no genetic modification involved the method avoids several legal issues
Viral Genetics’ CEO Haig Keledjian:
“The new brand will help open doors with energy companies. We also believe it will help us attract investors interested in cost-effective, green energy solutions. We believe our approach to biofuels can change the economics of green energy by simply increasing the oil yield in certain plants. Many competitive technologies focus on genetically-modifying algae strains, and developing expensive new growing methods.”
Some of the studies were undertaken at the Texas Life Sciences Collaboration Center, funded by the Texas Emerging Technology Fund, a $200 million initiative created by the Texas Legislature in 2005. VG Energy lead researcher Dr. M. Karen Newell-Rogers recently obtained a $750,000 grant from the fund to study and develop the yield-enhancing technology in her academic research laboratories at the Texas AgriLife Research Blacklands campus. She is the inventor behind a patent and several patent applications under exclusive license to VG Energy directed to methods for dramatically increasing the volume of oils produced by algae and other plants.
VG Energy Lead Researcher, Dr. M. Karen Newell-Rogers:
“Our research seems to indicate that we can trigger plant cells to increase their fat stores. We can manipulate plant cells so that they store oil and eventually release those reserves instead of burning the fat for fuel when glucose stores are low. The end result is more oil is available for processing into a biofuel.”
The commercialization of this technology is an important step for the algal biofuel industry; increased yields of oil and particularly the secretion of oils by the algae are steps towards overcoming some of the greatest challenges in that field. The fact that oils can be collected directly from a living culture removes several processing steps and is therefore cheaper; usually the algae must be dried and the oils extracted from the dry biomass. Also, the fact that the algae do not have to be killed to extract the oil means that the algae culture can be run longer and run continuously rather than in batches, therefore potentially minimizing equipment downtime during production.
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