Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/110509
production has made him an internationally recognized Next year, in collaboration leader in renewable energy. with Philippidis, the company For Lawrence Walmsley, an opportunity to partner with Philippidis on a new system of algae cultivation was will begin testing algal proteins such as fish food and animal feed. one of the reasons he moved his energy startup, Culture ���Florida is the perfect environment to produce algae Fuels, to Lakeland and took advantage of the Florida High on a large scale thanks to its abundance of sunlight, water Tech Corridor Council���s Matching Grants Research Program and underutilized land, its warm and humid weather, and to further commercialize the company���s technology. its strategic location,��� said Philippidis. Though many companies are exploring ways to Only in its second year, the company already has generate fuel from the super producer (algae doubles its plans to expand to a one-acre site in South Florida in weight every few days), the expertise of Culture Fuels lies 2013. The new coastal location will not only allow Culture in its floating platforms, a series of contained environments Fuels to streamline operations and have direct access used to grow the algae biomass. The modular platforms, to a larger water source for growing algae, but it will called FloatAlgae���, are highly productive and use also serve as a showroom that gives investors and fuel substantially less water and energy than a pond does. companies an inside look at the FloatAlgae��� technology. While it is typically more costly to produce oil from algae, With help from the Florida High Tech Corridor Council���s Culture Fuels has gained a distinct advantage through its Matching Grants Research Program, the company is now inexpensive platform, allowing for increased efficiency at ready to scale up production and plans to begin selling a competitive operating cost. Walmsley projects algal its products throughout all of 2013. fuel could be produced for less than $2 a gallon with the adoption of Culture Fuels��� innovative system. ���This grant has allowed us to develop our technology and generate promising data that we can Fuel isn���t the only byproduct of algae. It can also now show to investors who can license the technology produce various other chemicals, such as proteins for use at their own power-generation or other facility,��� and sugars. Currently, the USF-Culture Fuels team is said Walmsley. ���The funding comes at a crucial time for producing polysaccharides (long sugars) for one of the a startup company like Culture Fuels, and it has been company���s European customers at USF���s algae facility. tremendously helpful.��� florida.HIGH.TECH 2013 fht_univ_research_2013.indd 25 25 2/11/13 2:07 PM