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cost is a challenge </p> </div> <div class="byline"> <font face="Verdana,Helvetica,Arial"><b>By Steve Karnowski</b></font><br> <font face="Verdana,Helvetica,Arial" size="2">Associated Press</font> </div> <div class="timestamp"> Published: Sunday, Dec. 23, 2007 12:03 a.m. MST</div> <div id="tools"> <div id="tools-left"> <img src="/web/20071228063920im_/http://deseretnews.com/i/bubble6.gif" class="commentBubble" alt=""/><a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/user/comments/1,5150,695237893,00.html">3 comments</a> </div> <div id="tools-right"> <a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/article/email/1,5227,695237893,00.html">E-MAIL</a> | <a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/article/content/mobile/0,5223,695237893,00.html">PRINT</a> | FONT <b><a onclick="textSizeUp('storyText');return false;" href="#">+</a></b> <b><a onclick="textSizeDown('storyText');return false;" href="#">-</a></b>  </div> </div> <div id="storyText"> ST. PAUL, Minn.  The 16 big flasks of bubbling bright green liquids in Roger Ruan's lab at the University of Minnesota are part of a new boom in renewable energy research.<p> Driven by renewed investment as oil prices push $100 a barrel, Ruan and scores of scientists around the world are racing to turn algae into a commercially viable energy source.<p> Some varieties of algae are as much as 50 percent oil, and that oil can be converted into biodiesel or jet fuel. The biggest challenge is slashing the cost of production, which by one Defense Department estimate is running more than $20 a gallon.<p> "If you can get algae oils down below $2 a gallon, then you'll be where you need to be. And there's a lot of people who think you can," said Jennifer Holmgren, director of the renewable fuels unit of UOP LLC, an energy subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc.<p> Researchers are trying to figure out how to grow enough of the right strains of algae and how to extract the oil most efficiently. Over the past two years they've enjoyed an upsurge in funding from governments, the Pentagon, big oil companies, utilities and venture capital firms.<p> The federal government halted its main algae research program nearly a decade ago, but technology has advanced and oil prices have climbed since then, and an Energy Department lab announced in late October that it was partnering with Chevron Corp., the second-largest U.S. oil company, in the hunt for better strains of algae.<p> <div class="continue">Story continues below</div> <div id="ad_300" class="ad"> <div id="ad6Sp"></div> </div> "It's not back-yard inventors at this point at all," said George Douglas, a spokesman for the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory. "It's folks with experience to move it forward."<p> A New Zealand company demonstrated a Range Rover powered by an algae biodiesel blend last year, but experts say it will be many years before algae is commercially viable. Ruan expects some demonstration plants to be built within a few years.<p> Converting algae oil into biodiesel uses the same process that turns vegetable oils into biodiesel. But the cost of producing algae oil is hard to pin down because nobody's running the process start to finish other than in a laboratory, Douglas said. One Pentagon estimate puts it at more than $20 per gallon, but other experts say it's not clear cut.<p> If it can be brought down, algae's advantages include growing much faster and in less space than conventional energy crops. An acre of corn can produce about 20 gallons of oil per year, Ruan said, compared with a possible 15,000 gallons of oil per acre of algae.<p> An algae farm could be located almost anywhere. It wouldn't require converting cropland from food production to energy production. It could use sea water. And algae can gobble up pollutants from sewage and power plants.<p> The Pentagon's research arm, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, is funding research into producing jet fuel from plants, including algae. DARPA is already working with Honeywell's UOP, General Electric Inc. and the University of North Dakota. In November, it requested additional research proposals.<p> As the single largest energy consumer in the world, the Defense Department needs new, affordable sources of jet fuel, said Douglas Kirkpatrick, DARPA's biofuels program manager.<p> "Our definition of affordable is less than $5 per gallon, and what we're really looking for is less than $3 per gallon, and we believe that can be done," he said.<p> Des Plaines, Ill.-based UOP  which has developed a "green diesel" process that converts vegetable oils into fuels that are more like conventional petroleum products than standard biodiesel  already has successfully converted soybean oil into jet fuel, Holmgren said. And the company has partnered with Arizona State University to obtain algae oil to test for the DARPA project, she said.<p> At the University of Minnesota, Ruan and his colleagues are developing ways to grow mass quantities of algae, identifying promising strains and figuring out what they can make from the residue that remains after the oil is removed.<p> Because sunlight doesn't penetrate more than a few inches into water that's thick with algae, it doesn't grow well in deep tanks or open ponds. So researchers are designing systems called "photobioreactors" to provide the right mix of light and nutrients while keeping out wild algae strains.<p> Ruan's researchers grow their algae in sewage plant discharge because it contains phosphates and nitrates  chemicals that pollute rivers but can be fertilizer for algae farms. So Ruan envisions building algae farms next to treatment plants, where they could consume yet another pollutant, the carbon dioxide produced when sewage sludge is burned.<p> Jim Sears of A2BE Carbon Capture LLC of Boulder, Colo., a startup company that's developing fuel-from-algae technologies that tap carbon dioxide from coal-fired power plants, compared the challenges to achieving space flight.<p> "It's complex, it's difficult and it's going to take a lot of players," Sears said. </i> </div>  <div id="storyComments"> <div class="commentNum"><a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/user/comments/1,5150,695237893,00.html">3 comments</a></div><h2>Recent comments</h2> <div class="comment bg_transparent"><p>What a great technology! The potential is huge. <br> <br> Interesting...</p><p class="commentName"><b>Interested</b> | Dec. 23, 2007 at 10:40 p.m.</p></div><div class="comment bg_white"><p>Thanks for the insight.</p><p class="commentName"><b>Re: Ty Campbell</b> | Dec. 23, 2007 at 2:32 p.m.</p></div><div class="comment bg_transparent"><p>There are three branches of algae production: open ponds, closed...</p><p class="commentName"><b>Ty Cambell</b> | Dec. 23, 2007 at 12:49 p.m.</p></div> <div id="addComment"> <a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/user/comments/1,5150,695237893,00.html""><img src="/web/20071228063920im_/http://deseretnews.com/img/icons/comment-balloon.gif" style="width:21px;height:19px;" alt=""/></a><a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/user/comments/1,5150,695237893,00.html">Add your comment</a> </div> </div> </div> <div id="feature_col" class="column">  <script type="text/javascript" src="/web/20071228063920js_/http://deseretnews.com/js/prototype.lite.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/web/20071228063920js_/http://deseretnews.com/js/moo.fx.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/web/20071228063920js_/http://deseretnews.com/js/liteboxRev3.js?ver=3.23"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/web/20071228063920js_/http://deseretnews.com/js/library.js"></script> <div id="story_graphics"> <ul id="story_graphics_tabs"> <li class="selected"><a href="#" rel="photos_tab" onclick="return false;">Story photo</a></li> </ul> <div id="photos_tab" class="feature more_heads_content" style="padding-top:0px;"> <div class="more" style="margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:2px;color:#1C588C;text-align:left;"> <a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/photos/midres/4940041.jpg" rel="lightbox" title="Dr. Blanca Martinez, a University of Minnesota scientist, works with different varieties of algae in St. Paul, Minn. Scientists around the world are racing to turn algae into a viable energy source. (Thomas Whisenand, Associated Press)" rev="/photos/thumb/4940041.jpg" onclick="return false;">+ Click to enlarge</a> </div> <a id="lBoxImage" href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/photos/midres/4940041.jpg" rel="lightbox" title="Dr. Blanca Martinez, a University of Minnesota scientist, works with different varieties of algae in St. Paul, Minn. Scientists around the world are racing to turn algae into a viable energy source. (Thomas Whisenand, Associated Press)" rev="/photos/thumb/4940041.jpg" onclick="return false;"><img src="/web/20071228063920im_/http://deseretnews.com/photos/4940041.jpg" style="width:192px;height:128px;margin:2px 0 2px 0;border:0 solid;" alt="Dr. Blanca Martinez, a University of Minnesota scientist, works with different varieties of algae in St. Paul, Minn. Scientists around the world are racing to turn algae into a viable energy source. (Thomas Whisenand, Associated Press)"/></a> <div class="caption" style="margin-left:0;margin-right:0;">Thomas Whisenand, Associated Press</div> Dr. Blanca Martinez, a University of Minnesota scientist, works with different varieties of algae in St. Paul, Minn. 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href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695238997,00.html">Charger red: Formerly Utah's every-down man, Eric Weddle has found his place with surging San Diego</a> <span class="commentNum"><img src="/web/20071228063920im_/http://deseretnews.com/i/bubble6.gif" class="commentBubble" alt=""/><a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/user/comments/1,5150,695238997,00.html">50</a></span> </li> <li class="infoText">(Stories published in the last five days with the most comments)</li> </ol> </div> <div id="other_section_heads"> <ul id="other_section_tabs"> <li class="selected"><a href="#" rel="cit_stories">Utah</a></li> <li><a href="#" rel="spt_stories">Sports</a></li> <li><a href="#" rel="wir_stories">World & U.S.</a></li> </ul>  <div id="cit_stories" class="more_heads_content"> <ul> <li> <a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695239241,00.html">Utah avalanche danger increasing</a> <span class="commentNum"><img src="/web/20071228063920im_/http://deseretnews.com/i/bubble6.gif" class="commentBubble" alt=""/><a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/user/comments/1,5150,695239241,00.html">0</a></span> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695239293,00.html">Not-guilty plea in hit and run</a> <span class="commentNum"><img src="/web/20071228063920im_/http://deseretnews.com/i/bubble6.gif" class="commentBubble" alt=""/><a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/user/comments/1,5150,695239293,00.html">5</a></span> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695239288,00.html">Community, faith groups want Becker to tackle poverty issues</a> <span class="commentNum"><img src="/web/20071228063920im_/http://deseretnews.com/i/bubble6.gif" class="commentBubble" alt=""/><a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/user/comments/1,5150,695239288,00.html">9</a></span> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695239271,00.html">Utah native sworn in as deputy 'drug czar'</a> <span class="commentNum"><img src="/web/20071228063920im_/http://deseretnews.com/i/bubble6.gif" class="commentBubble" alt=""/><a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/user/comments/1,5150,695239271,00.html">1</a></span> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695239272,00.html">Modeling brings Jesus back into Utahn's life</a> <span class="commentNum"><img src="/web/20071228063920im_/http://deseretnews.com/i/bubble6.gif" class="commentBubble" alt=""/><a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/user/comments/1,5150,695239272,00.html">30</a></span> </li> </ul> </div>  <div id="spt_stories" class="more_heads_content"> <ul> <li> <a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695239321,00.html">Back on track  Jazz start fast, hold on when Dallas makes comeback</a> <span class="commentNum"><img src="/web/20071228063920im_/http://deseretnews.com/i/bubble6.gif" class="commentBubble" alt=""/><a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/user/comments/1,5150,695239321,00.html">27</a></span> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695239376,00.html">Jazz reinstate Giricek</a> <span class="commentNum"><img src="/web/20071228063920im_/http://deseretnews.com/i/bubble6.gif" class="commentBubble" alt=""/><a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/user/comments/1,5150,695239376,00.html">18</a></span> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695239324,00.html">News analysis: Cougars in own way of BCS berth</a> <span class="commentNum"><img src="/web/20071228063920im_/http://deseretnews.com/i/bubble6.gif" class="commentBubble" alt=""/><a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/user/comments/1,5150,695239324,00.html">172</a></span> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695239244,00.html">Utes focus on Big Sky's Idaho State</a> <span class="commentNum"><img src="/web/20071228063920im_/http://deseretnews.com/i/bubble6.gif" class="commentBubble" alt=""/><a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/user/comments/1,5150,695239244,00.html">6</a></span> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695239132,00.html">Skiers only: Two Utah resorts among three in the nation without snowboards</a> <span class="commentNum"><img src="/web/20071228063920im_/http://deseretnews.com/i/bubble6.gif" class="commentBubble" alt=""/><a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/user/comments/1,5150,695239132,00.html">4</a></span> </li> </ul> </div>  <div id="wir_stories" class="more_heads_content"> <ul> <li> <a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695239329,00.html">Pakistani opposition leader Bhutto killed in suicide attack on campaign rally</a> <span class="commentNum"><img src="/web/20071228063920im_/http://deseretnews.com/i/bubble6.gif" class="commentBubble" alt=""/><a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/user/comments/1,5150,695239329,00.html">21</a></span> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695239389,00.html">Zoo director says wall around the tiger enclosure was lower than the recommended height</a> <span class="commentNum"><img src="/web/20071228063920im_/http://deseretnews.com/i/bubble6.gif" class="commentBubble" alt=""/><a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/user/comments/1,5150,695239389,00.html">3</a></span> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695239383,00.html">Visiting U.S. lawmakers were to meet Thursday night with Bhutto</a> <span class="commentNum"><img src="/web/20071228063920im_/http://deseretnews.com/i/bubble6.gif" class="commentBubble" alt=""/><a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/user/comments/1,5150,695239383,00.html">0</a></span> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695239381,00.html">A Pakistan primer: What you need to know about the troubled nation Bhutto called home</a> <span class="commentNum"><img src="/web/20071228063920im_/http://deseretnews.com/i/bubble6.gif" class="commentBubble" alt=""/><a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/user/comments/1,5150,695239381,00.html">0</a></span> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695239351,00.html">Bhutto assassination roils U.S. presidential race, bringing terrorism back to the fore</a> <span class="commentNum"><img src="/web/20071228063920im_/http://deseretnews.com/i/bubble6.gif" class="commentBubble" alt=""/><a href="/web/20071228063920/http://deseretnews.com/user/comments/1,5150,695239351,00.html">0</a></span> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> 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