First Algae Biodiesel Plant Goes Online: April 1, 2008 ("This is NOT an April Fool’s joke!")

gas2.org ^ | March 29th, 200824 | Clayton B. Cornell

[benjamin032]

No, there will always be scum aplenty.

[JRandomFreeper]

Would you run experimental jet fuel (as mentioned in the article) in an F15 if Acme products were employed in its collection?

Sure, if someone else was the pilot, it's made by the lowest bidder, in any case.

It can't be more dangerous than the ACES II ejection seat, the age of the aircraft, and all of the dangerous bits that a fighter comprises.

737 with experimental fuel? H#!! no, I wouldn't. Not for a year or two anyway.

/johnny

[JRandomFreeper]

Fighter aircraft. An explosion, waiting for an excuse.

God bless the men that fly and fight.

/johnny

[Grut]

PetroSun won’t be making fuel immediately, but plans on either building or acquiring ethanol and biodiesel production plants.

Hmm... I sense the Homework Eating Dog licking his chops.

[PugetSoundSoldier]

Oh God, No! Now we’ll face scum shortages worldwide!

Don't worry, the Donk party will always generate a fresh supply for us...

[RS_Rider]

A$$holes for the ethical treatment of Algae (AETA) will soon file suit. /S

RS

[count-your-change]

PetroSun says they expect 2,560,000 gallons of oil from a “pod”, a pod being 640 acres or 1 square mile. PetroSun plans a site near Phoenix that will produce 30 million gallons per year. Starting to sound a bit like hype?
If my math is correct that would be nearly 12 square miles. Anyone think that will happen?
12 squares mile of water in the desert that is Phoenix?

[festus]

And soon we’ll be protesting the Big Scum Industry.........

[LurkingSince'98]

your particular knowledge that this is hype is?????

are you saying that it is impossible???

Saguaro Lake 12 miles form downtown Phoenix is 2 sq mi.

and your particular qualifications to make that statement are???

Lurking’

[count-your-change]

I didn't say it was hype only that it was starting to sound like it.
I lived in Phoenix for many years and if there is anything that is fought over and litigated over more than water I can't guess what it would be.
And that project is going to take a LOT of water! Where is all water going to come from? Not wells, not a dry river, not a big pipe from Phoenix. Not when towns buy ranches for the water rights, not when sewage water is litigated over who can use it.
Where is all this oil going to be refined into fuel? The some day refinery at Yuma? Hasn't been a shovel of dirt turned on that yet.
Saguaro Lake is not a 12 square mile shallow pool of algae cooking in 115 degree shade several months of the year.
Read a bit about the CAP and you'll see what I mean.
But who knows? Maybe they can find the millions of gallons of water and at a price that they can afford and of a quality that is usable and find a way to get it to the site. I don't say it's impossible, however...

[LurkingSince'98]

hey count

1) the water is not exposed to the atmosphere so it doesn't evaporate,

2) the water is recycled so they do not need to constantly refill their system,

3) the oil that comes out of certain algae is VERY close to diesel fuel and can be used straight without refining,

4) they own or lease all the land they need, it's not like there are people fighting over land in the desert,

5) you talk like this company never thought of all the tings you brought up.

6) they did while you were out sunbathing in 2005.

Lurking’

[count-your-change]

(1) The plant in Texas is an old shrimp farm-open ponds.
One can assume the proposed site in Arizona would also be since it’s supposed to cover about 7700 acres or do you think that area will be covered with plastic bags?
(2) You have no idea of what the water loss would be under those open pond circumstances or how much water would be needed. But heres an idea: To cover an acre of land with one foot of water requires 325,851 gallons of water and they are talking 7700 acres.
(3) The company says they are producing a “bio-refinery feedstock” for a as yet unbuilt facility. “feedstock” means you can’t dump into your tank.
(4) Land was never the question-water was and if you can do the math above you can see it will takes lots of it. If you knew anything about water rights and water availability around Phoenix you would know that getting water from someone isn’t easy when it’s possible. (see CAP)
(5) Oh, I’m sure they know all this and lots more which is why they are hawking joint ventures with companies in Mexico, Australia, and several states. Lots of press releases while they seek investors for their stock selling at $.16 a share. Where’s the oil?
(6) Best thing that could ever happen to you would be sun bathing since you’re so obviously in the dark.

[Red Badger]

Rest In Peace, old friend, your work is finished.....

If you want ON or OFF the DIESEL ”KnOcK” LIST just FReepmail me.....

This is a fairly HIGH VOLUME ping list on some days.....

[antisocial]

“The facility, located in Rio Hondo Texas, will produce an estimated 4.4 million gallons of algal oil and 110 million lbs. of biomass per year off a series of saltwater ponds spanning 1,100 acres.”

Saltwater is very plentiful, and as mentioned in the article they have chosen an area accessable by barge to facilitate transport of the finished product. That could also provide them with plenty of saltwater.

[count-your-change]

Makes good sense at the Rio Hondo site. I’m anxious to see if they can make it work. I think of the catfish farms and wonder if a large number of smaller operations might pool their efforts in some sort of co-op.
I need to see how many others are doing the same thing as PetroSun.

[mowowie]

The brackish/salt water is the awesome part of all this and the Key to this whole venture.
I sure hope it work out well!!
Future Bio-engineered Algae fueling a big part of our counry someday. WOOHOO!!

[cpdiii]

(2) You have no idea of what the water loss would be under those open pond circumstances or how much water would be needed. But heres an idea: To cover an acre of land with one foot of water requires 325,851 gallons of water and they are talking 7700 acres.

Unless I am mistaken this is a salt water algae. If you look at the satellite view you will see a somewhat large body of water next to the ponds. The body of water is called the Gulf of Mexico. I assure you they will not pump it dry. :)

There are many areas of the west that have considerable ground water that can be used for this. The shallow water in West Texas is salty and not usable for crops or humans. It would be just fine for the algae.

[count-your-change]

It may well be that areas near the coast would lend themselves to algae farms. PetroSun’s startup facility looks to do well if press releases are accurate.
That said, the comments I made were in regard to a proposed facility near Coolidge, Arizona. Having lived in this area for many years I do know what the land and weather is like, it really is desert by any definition.

[Antoninus]

Well, PetroSun is trading at a mighty $0.16/share. Here's what the Yahoo message boards have to say:

http://messages.finance.yahoo.com/mb/PSUD.PK