Shell and HR Biopetroleum build facility to grow algae for biofuel / プレスリリース Shell (ハワイで海藻からバイオ燃料を！、、シェルグループ）: ソフトエネルギー

Shell and HR Biopetroleum build facility to grow algae for biofuel / プレスリリース Shell (ハワイで海藻からバイオ燃料を！、、シェルグループ）

" Royal Dutch Shell plc and HR Biopetroleum today announced the construction of a pilot facility in Hawaii to grow marine algae and produce vegetable oil for conversion into biofuel.
The announcement is a further step in Shell’s ongoing effort to develop a new generation of biofuels using sustainable, non-food raw materials. Algae hold great promise because they grow very rapidly, are rich in vegetable oil and can be cultivated in ponds of seawater, minimising the use of fertile land and fresh water.

Shell and HR Biopetroleum have formed a joint venture company, called Cellana, to develop this project, with Shell taking the majority share. Construction of the demonstration facility on the Kona coast of Hawaii Island will begin immediately. The site, leased from the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority (NELHA), is near existing commercial algae enterprises, primarily serving the pharmaceutical and nutrition industries.

The facility will grow only non-modified, marine microalgae species in open-air ponds using proprietary technology. Algae strains used will be indigenous to Hawaii or approved by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Protection of the local environment and marine ecosystem has been central to facility design. Once the algae are harvested, the vegetable oil will be extracted. The facility’s small production volumes will be used for testing.　 "

-----Shell.com,11/12/2007

関連情報、記事
・HR Biopetroleum / Technical Process

・Shell to grow algae for biofuel-----Cleantech.com,December 12, 2007

・Shell and HR Biopetroleum Form Joint Venture for Algal Biofuel Production-----Green Car Congress,11 December 2007

コメント
　algae、藻類と分類を見るとよくわからなくなる分類の微生物や海藻まで広く含む生物のことだそうです。その海藻をつかっってバイオ燃料を生産する試験プラントがハワイで建設されそうです。この取り組みを発表したシェルが大企業なだけに、次代の代替燃料の研究開発に新たなページが開かれたということと、化石燃料確保の厳しさを感じさせるエピソードとしても記憶にとどめる価値がありそうです。

　ちなみに、藻類を使ったさまざまな取り組みは、いろいろな形、場所で始まっています。水、海洋資源の一つの可能性として日本でも取り組みがひろがりそうな分野です。(t_t)

・注目が集まる、エネルギーとしての藻-----ソフトエネルギー、2007/03/07

参考
・Wikipedia : 藻類