Los Alamos a key partner in alliance to develop viable alternative fuels

May 6, 2010—Los Alamos National Laboratory showed its leadership in alternative energy development during the official kickoff of the nation’s largest consortium for research and innovation in advanced algal biofuels.

The National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bio-Products (NAABB) celebrated its official kickoff on April 15 at the Donald Danforth Plant Center in St. Louis.

The Alliance recently received approximately $49 million in American Reinvestment and Recovery Act funding from the Department of Energy's Office of Biomass Programs. In addition, industry and academic partners within the consortium have pledged $20 million in cost-share contributions. The program will pursue the development of viable biofuels derived from algae.

The Laboratory, which received $10.5 million of the ARRA award, is a key player in the Alliance, which is being led by José Olivares, the Lab's Biofuels Program leader from the Bioscience Division. Partners in the NAABB include three national laboratories, 17 universities, and 14 industry partners, including Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Danforth.

During his remarks at the kickoff event, Olivares explained several specific objectives of the Alliance.

The NAABB is committed to developing technologies for cost-effective production of algal biomass and lipids. Algae, a tiny green plant that floats on the surface of ponds, is packed with fats (lipids) that can be converted to biofuels. The Alliance will work on increasing overall productivity of algae with an increased fat content using sustainable production and cultivation systems that are not water or land intensive. Using cost-effective methods to harvest the pond scum and extract the energy-rich portions is a key part of the focus.

Additionally, the NAABB will concentrate on developing technologies to convert algal extracts into useful fuels, as well as coproducts, such as bioplastics and animal feed, that can add additional profitability for algae farmers and processors.

Robust scientific research lies at the heart of these initiatives, which is why Los Alamos—with a multidisciplinary focus borne from its national security mission—is a key player in the Alliance. Universities and other technical partners will ensure that multiple, innovative approaches for development of biofuels and marketable byproducts result from the Alliance’s work, while the myriad industry partners will help ensure that Alliance deliverables can be readily commercialized and used in the private sector.

The NAABB kickoff event featured a strong Los Alamos presence, including leaders in systems biology, algae harvesting, and industrial partnerships—all essential components for obtaining sustainable liquid transportation fuels from biomass.

Mary Neu, Associate Director for Chemistry, Life and Earth Sciences at the Laboratory, provided an overview of sustainable energy research at the Laboratory, which included initiatives at the DOE Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC) for Advanced Solar Photophysics, the LANL Energy Security Center, potential energy storage and extraction from chemical bonds in ammonium borane and fuel cell research at the Laboratory, including the Lab's previous pioneering efforts in designing the nation's first commercially available fuel cells.

Neu also highlighted the Laboratory's growing expertise in understanding the effects of global energy use on Earth's climate, ecosystems, and resources.

Representatives of other Alliance partners, as well as Missouri Congressman Russ Carnahan, also provided presentations at the kickoff meeting.

NAABB partners include: The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center; LANL; PNNL; University of Arizona; Brooklyn College, Colorado State University; New Mexico State University; Texas Agrilife Research, Texas A&M University system; University of California-Los Angeles; University of California-San Diego; University of Washington; Washington University, St. Louis; Washington State University; AXI; Catilin; Diversified Energy; Eldorado Biofuels; Genifuel; HR BioPetroleum; Inventure; Kai BioEnergy; Palmer Labs; Solix Biofuels; Targeted Growth; Terrabon; UOP LLC, Clarkson University, University of Pennsylvania, Iowa State University, University of Texas Austin, USDA-ARS, and University of California Davis.

The Alliance Kickoff followed on the heels of the complementary Southwestern Biofuels Association Policy Summit in Albuquerque. The two-day summit drew the most respected energy and environmental leaders from federal, state and industrial research arenas, including Los Alamos National Laboratory personnel. The Summit included talks by Sen. Jeff Bingaman and Sen. Tom Udall, as well as a collection of experts committed to surmounting obstacles and creating solutions for developing biofuels in the Southwest. Olivares was among the distinguished collection of presenters.

Related Links

• National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts
• LANL Stimulus Project Office