Our Technology
AIB has developed economically attractive closed systems for micro-algae production as opposed to the open raceway ponds used worldwide. This major breakthrough will accelerate opportunities within the industry by lowering production costs, vastly increasing the number of species that can be grown, improving yield quality and introducing more flexibility of inputs. NASA has trialled one of AIB’s earlier patented breakthrough systems and that system has now been superseded to be even more flexible and efficient.
The Challenge
The use of algae as an effective means to convert CO2, sunlight and waste into a wide range of products including drop-in fuels has been long known. Some estimate that, if all current agriculture were to be replaced with algal culture, about 97% of agricultural land could revert to forest. The water used would be a tiny fraction used by current agriculture. The benefits to the environment, the lack of competition for agricultural land and water, the ability to provide large quantities of food, animal feed, nutraceuticals and more, the ability to absorb CO2 and clean up our waste streams is overwhelmingly attractive.
Micro-algae must form a major part of our future.
The last major obstacle was to develop commercially viable cost-effective algae systems, where CAPEX and OPEX are not prohibitive. This has been the primary goal of AIB and has now been achieved and demonstrated.