PetroSun to develop 30 Mgy algae biodiesel plant in Coolidge, Arizona
In Arizona, PetroSun BioFuels Refining has signed a joint venture to develop and operate a 30 Mgy algae biodiesel facility in Coolidge. Construction is projected to commence in the third quarter of this year.
Late last fall, PetroSun announced a letter of intent to supply 54 million gallons of algal oil to a new 54 Mgy Bio-Alternatives biodiesel plant in south Louisiana. The initial delivery to Bio-Alternatives refinery will be in the third quarter of 2008.
PetroSun previously announced a joint venture in the construction and operation of a 55 Mgy biofuels refinery in Arizona. PetroSun BioFuels will provide the algal oil feedstock, and the resulting biodiesel and ethanol will be distributed in Phoenix.
PetroSun has announced its intention to establish 1,000 algae cultivation pods that will produce up to 2.56 billion gallons of algal oil per year. The announcement highlighted the potential of algae to supply a large percentage of domestic fuel consumption needs within a compact space, even with early-stage yields. PetroSun indicated it would pursue joint ventures with Mexican companies to establish its pods in Sonora state, which is located along the US border south of Arizona.
Last summer, PetroSun completed a successful demonstration of a commercially-viable algae-to-biodiesel conversion in Georgia.
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