Solazyme wins 150,000 gallon Navy order for algal biofuel

September 15, 2010

San Francisco firm Solazyme, Inc., has signed a fresh deal with the US Department of Defense to provide 150,000 gallons of advanced biofuels derived from algae.

It announced the deal yesterday, as it also revealed that it has now completed delivery of more than 20,000 gallons of its biodiesel to the US Navy under its 2009 contract.

The company hailed the achievement as the world’s largest delivery of non-alcohol advanced biofuel made completely by microbes.

Solazyme, which has been working with a refining partner, Honeywell-subsidiary UOP, said the new deal for 2010-2011 was 7.5 times larger than its previous order, and should bring it closer to commercial production for its process.

CEO Jonathan Wolfson said: “We are excited by the new DoD contract which calls for much larger volumes of Soladiesel®HRF-76 Renewable Naval Distillate fuel, and view its signing on the heels of our successful delivery as strong validation of Solazyme’s technology and of our prospects to provide meaningful quantities of low carbon fuels for our national defense.”

Testing

The new contract will see Solazyme providing its Soladiesel HRF-76 for the Navy’s testing and certification program. HRF-76 is the renewable form of F-76, the primary shipboard fuel used by the Navy.

Mr Wolfson said his company’s renewable oil production results in 100% military-spec fuel that could be “significant” in the Navy’s efforts to obtain half its energy from renewable sources by 2020.

Separately, Solazyme completed a 1,500 gallon contract earlier this summer to supply jet fuel for testing by the Navy (see this BrighterEnergy.org story).

“Reducing dependence on foreign oil is a national security imperative, and Solazyme’s technology focuses on producing an abundant, domestic and renewable source for oil and fuels,” Mr Wolfson added.

Founded in 2003, Solazyme’s strategic investors include the consumer products conglomerate Unilever and the entrepeneur Sir Richard Branson.

Add your comments

Pete Holden
I believe algae based biodiesel is an important step in energy independence.
I have seen reports that this fuel cost upwards of $1k per gallon. If people don’t understand the development process They would see this a ridicules answer to eliminating fossil fuels. With continued effort in this field I believe this fuel can be made cost competitive with our current diesel fuel
I am the mayor of a small city in central Iowa and offering a large overflow pond in our waste water treatment plant to anyone interested in further research in this area.