Wednesday 18 May 2011

Algae fuel powers French innovation

France is becoming the breeding ground for projects that use algae to produce fuel, it has been claimed.

Stringent targets are forcing EU countries to become more inventive in their search for low carbon energy, believe experts at US-based OriginOil, which develops fuel by extracting oil from algae.

Riggs Eckelberry, OriginOil CEO said: "Europe and France have made unconditional sustainability commitments, and this is driving fast-moving commercial algae projects for us in France."

Pierre Tauzinat, president of French algae oil developer Ennesys, said that laws were encouraging more projects: "Algae in France has taken off with the new eco-building law that forces large developers to innovate without delay on their new projects.

OriginOil have just announced the launch of two new projects in Greater Paris, that cover a million square feet each, in a joint venture with Ennesys.

Related stories:

Algae - an alternative to fossil fuels?
The Mega What? 6 May 2011
Exxon Mobil ready to spend over $600m on algae biofuels