| 2008 Highlights |
Secured up to $5 Million in Funding
- The Biofuels Team kicked off three projects in FY2009 that alone could bring considerably more money to the State than has been invested by USTAR to date:
- Secured Department of Energy funding of $450,00 where USU researchers will be scouring the Great Salt Lake for salt-water algae to produce biodiesel.
- Won Department of Defense funding of up to $4.5 million to produce algae-based jet fuel.
- Initiated sponsored research with a southwestern utility company interested in using algae to recycle carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants.
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| 2009 Goals |
A Year of Bio-opportunity
- With new grants now funding expanded research, the biofuels team has the following goals for 2009:
- Start a pilot project in Southern Utah, in collaboration with regional higher education institutions.
- File for patents for novel bioreactor designs.
- Secure more multi-million dollar funding from federal and industry sources.
- Launch a new company based on USTAR research.
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Jeff Muhs stands by a solar collector that optimizes the amount of light used to produce biofuels.
Creating a new
industry for Utah
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It’s no secret that the future of America’s
growth and security lies in reducing
our dependence on foreign oil and in
reducing carbon emissions. The USU
Energy Lab is working on both these
fronts, positioning Utah at the forefront
of the “green” economy. Initial studies
indicate biofuel from algae could
eventually supply up to 25 percent of
fuel consumption in the U.S. Algae
cultivation needs sunshine and certain
strains thrive in brackish water. This
makes biofuel production well suited
for parts of rural Utah where standard
agriculture is difficult at best.
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