ST3-08: An Overview of the Algal Biomass Industry 2011

About the Algal Biomass Organization

The Algal Biomass Organization (ABO) is a non-profit trade association whose mission is to promote the development of viable commercial markets for renewable and sustainable products derived from algae. The ABO and its more than 170 members believe that algae-based energy solutions can play a vital role in addressing the three pressing issues of our day:  climate change, energy independence, and the growth of our green economy through the creation of as many as 107,000 direct and indirect jobs.  ABO’s membership is comprised of people, companies and organizations across the value chain, including producers of algae-based fuels as well as those that biologically capture and reuse carbon dioxide through algae; entities that support the development of algae-based fuels and other algae based agricultural products as a renewable, domestic source of energy, food and feed; national laboratories,; end users; and universities engaged in ongoing research and development of algae-based products and processes.

 Why Algae?

 Algae hold great promise in the near term to fundamentally change America’s energy portfolio, sequester or convert atmospheric CO₂ into market-ready products, and help grow our economy through the creation of tens of thousands of well-paying green-collar jobs. 

Algae-based products and processes:

• Can replace a significant percentage of America’s petroleum-based liquid transportation fuel, including jet fuel, gasoline and diesel,  using photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic processes;
• Are domestically produced and renewable;
• Consume enormous amounts of CO₂, and biologically sequester or beneficially reuse/convert atmospheric and industrial CO₂into marketable products;
• Can be grown in non-potable water, on non-agricultural land (thereby avoiding indirect land use issues).
• Will be commercially produced in the near-term; low-carbon, drop-in transportation fuels will be produced by ABO members within two years;
• Can provide value-added co-products, including nutraceuticals, animal feed, cosmetics, plastics and other bio-based products, while also creating renewable, sustainable fuels.