SQC in JV with 2 universities to produce biofuels from algae

Production of clean and green fuels from algae is the focus of a new joint venture between the University of Adelaide (UoA), South Australia-based company SQC and Murdoch University. SQC, a technology development firm, has partnered with the universities to enable them to produce commercial quantities of biofuels from algae. University of Adelaide Senior Lecturer at the School of Chemical Engineering David Lewis and Murdoch University Professor of Marine Phycology Michael Borowitzka are world leaders in the development of biofuels from micro-algae. Lewis said SQC had contributed A$1 million (US$1,005,631.5) to the algal biofuels venture, despite the fact it was a high-risk investment. “They were willing to invest because we developed credible data that could be substantiated and supported,” he said. Murdoch University specializes in the commercial production of algae and algal products, while UoA contributed engineering expertise in algal processing. SQC’s mission is to develop commercial processing of micro-algae biomass into renewable hydrocarbon products.(January 18, 2011)