HutanBio receives funding to develop algae-based biofuels

Could algae be the answer to biofuels' long-term feedstock problem?

PHOTO: Algae samples in vial. Getty Images

Access to sufficient volumes of feedstocks is projected by many to be the main bottleneck to a bigger role for sustainable biofuels in the global marine fuel mix.

"Without a breakthrough in aquatic biomass production, biofuels (for example, biomethanol, bioethanol, or liquefied biomethane) are likely constrained to play a rather minor role in shipping’s future energy mix," researchers and economists wrote in a 2021 World Bank report.

HutanBio, a biotechnology firm founded by former scientists from Cambridge University, has now set out to develop biofuels derived from cultivated algae and supply them for use by ships.

HutanBio has secured a £2.25 million ($2.86 million) seed investment from the UK’s Clean Growth Fund to develop algae-based biofuels.

The algae will be grown in specialised "bio-reactor farms" or controlled environments. Once harvested, oil is typically extracted from harvested algae using methods such as mechanical pressing, or through the use of solvents. The extracted oil will then be converted into biofuels through methods such as transesterification, which is a process where oil and fats are converted into biofuels using chemical reactions. 

Algae, just like plants, absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) during photosynthesis. By cultivating algae for biofuel production, the process effectively captures and utilises CO2, helping to offset some greenhouse gas emissions.

The company intends to build these man-made algae farms on unproductive and non-agricultural semi-arid and arid lands with optimal sunlight conditions. They can be particularly effective near heavy industries that emit CO2, which can then be captured by the algae and create a circular carbon capture and use system.

HutanBio is considering establishing its first algae farms in countries like Morocco or Australia, leveraging their abundant sunlight.

The company aims to supply algae-based biofuels to sectors such as shipping and aviation. No modifications to ship fuel storage tanks or engines are needed for ships burning its fuel, HutanBio claims. It can be stored, pumped and burned in the same manner as conventional diesel.

However, it is unclear whether the biofuel produced will be blended with conventional fuels or can be burned in pure form - which will be up to the end user. And the company has not shared any timeline for when these algae-based biofuels will be available for commercial supply.

The investment from the Clean Growth Fund will support HutanBio's development of these algae-based biofuels.

By Tuhin Roy

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