Stellarwind Bio Energy launches new algae-fuel facility in Indiana

Stellarwind Bio Energy, LLC, a producer of fuel oil from algae, announced the opening of its new small scale pilot production facility and corporate headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana. With a 1/10th acre greenhouse, expanded office space and an advanced R&D facility, the company is rapidly moving into the next phase of its business development plan.

Leveraging two years of research, design and development, the new headquarters will allow Stellarwind Bio Energy to build a scaled pilot production facility deploying its PhycoGenic Reactor™ and PhycoProcessor™. During this phase intensive effort will continue as the company refines its systems and manufacturing processes.

Unlike corn which produces between 150-330 gallons of ethanol per acre per year, or soy that produces between 70-100 gallons of bio-diesel per acre per year, algae can produce in excess of 10,000 gallons of fuel oil per acre annually. In addition, the oil produced is far superior to ethanol or bio-diesel, in that it can be sent directly to a refinery for conversion into gasoline, kerosene or aviation fuel.

“Renewable, eco-friendly fuel sources are no longer an option; they are now a necessity. For years, science has known that algae are a far better producer of fuel oils than other biological sources. The problem has been to cost-effectively build a bioreactor that can inexpensively grow, harvest and process commercially viable quantities of fuel oil from algae. We are committed to deploying such a system,” stated Kassebaum.

Stellarwind Bio Energy’s PhycoGenic Reactor is based on a proprietary approach which will allow the company to grow algae at a very affordable cost per liter. The technology in our system is being designed for high scalability, simple construction and easy maintenance.

Keith Masavage, executive vice president of marketing and business development summarized the process. “Our holistic approach uses four basic components; our PhycoGenic Reactor, PhycoProcessor, RecyCO2Tron™, and Resource Recovery System™ (RRSTM). First, carbon-dioxide is acquired from any major greenhouse-gas producer such as power plants or manufacturing facilities using our RecyCO2Tron. This CO2 is fed into the PhycoGenic Reactor which continuously grows and harvests the algae.

“The harvested algae are fed into the PhycoProcessor which extracts the oils. Residual bio-mass is fed into our RSSTM process which can convert it into one of several valuable resources including methane, industrial grade charcoal, fertilizer and/or synthesis gas. Our goal is to produce a continuously renewable energy source that is ecologically friendly, uses everything, and wastes nothing.”