Thursday, February 17, 2011

Joule boosted by alternative fuels report

By Kyle Alspach

Joule Unlimited Inc. said a peer-reviewed article published Thursday supports the potential for its technology to create large quantities of renewable fuels and chemicals without the need for biomass.

The Cambridge-based company said the article, published by Photosynthesis Research, includes a detailed analysis and model of the Joule platform, which uses solar energy, waste carbon dioxide, water and specialty microorganisms. The process can be used to produce renewable fuels including diesel and ethanol, along with a number of renewable chemicals, according to the company.

Joule has dubbed its process “helioculture,” which centers on solar converter systems that can be set up in rows on any type of open land, including non-agricultural land.

The Photosynthesis Research article indicates that the Joule platform has the potential for yields up to 50 times greater than the maximum potential of any process requiring biomass, according to Joule. The article says the company could produce 15,000 gallons of diesel per acre annually, as compared to 3,000 gallons of biodiesel produced from algae.

In a press release, Joule said the article “quantitatively affirms the advantages of Joule’s direct conversion process as compared to the indirect production of fuel from biomass, including algae.”

CEO Bill Sims said previously that his company’s technology could de-centralize the fuel industry, allowing any region with access to land, sun, CO2 and water to produce its own fuel. The process is also environmentally friendly, he said, because the process can use non-fresh water along with waste carbon dioxide from power plants or other industrial facilities.

In January, Joule announced that John Podesta, a veteran of two White House administrations, had joined its board of directors.