Algae Link
| Website: | www.algaelink.com | |
| Tel: |
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| Address: | Spain, Netherlands, Portugal | |
| Type: | Supplier – engineeering – algae | |
| Financials: | Private | |
| Symbol: | – | |
| Competition: | GreenStar | |
| Key execs: | Hans van de Ven, president, BioKing; Peter van den Dorpel, COO, Bioking | |
| Description: | Algae Link has been visible at industry conferences for over a year now, displaying a photobioreactor system in the US and Europe. Numerous algae developers have said that their system is one of the few actually available in the market; however, like many algae producers there have been no systems put into place worldwide that are producing material amounts of algae, at this time. Early in 2008, AlgaeLink had announced a photobioreactor system for algae made of UV protected transparent sheets rather than pre-manufactured tubes. The sheets are assembled on delivery into tubes, saving 90 percent on shipping costs with this configuration. Later in the spring, the company announced a new process for extracting algae oil without using chemicals, drying or an oil press. The company said that its patent-pending technique uses 26 kilowatts of power to produce 12,000 gallons of algae oil per hour, with a yield of 50 percent from the initial algae paste. The ownership and management of the company is somewhat mysterious to observers, although there is a clear connection between Bioking and AlgaeLink. According to Hans van de Ven, president of BioKing, “After only 3.5 hours inside the newly designed continuous photo-bioreactor system, algae can be collected and processed. With our fast growing algae and our advanced photo-bioreactor, it only takes four days to be in full production and to collect the first algae. And the cost of biodiesel feedstock will only be 5-10 cents a liter.” There has been some discussion of AlgaeLink/BioKing as a scam. The issue appears to be slippery sales methods, and some inability to deliver test samples of algae oil. A blogsite is entirely devoted to this subject, which offers some detail, but is otherwise unsupported as a “scam” by comments elsewhere on the web. However, as of Oct 2008, the BioKing website is not operational. Biodieselfever.com reported that Bioking filed for bankruptcy on 10/8/2008, and additional unsavory allegations were made by the website, including a report that the founders may have improperly handled investments. From biodieselfever.com: “Several sources confirm that former Bioking BV management ensured that money intended for Bioking BV was instead paid to the bank account of an entirely different company called Bioking Holding BV, the mother company of Algaelink NV. Funny enough, Algaelink is the company they all work for now. They didn’t have to move even, both companies are in the same building.” As with all algae related ventures, caution is advised. | |
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luis_petinga | Nov 14, 2008 | Reply
Please read http://www.biodieselfever.com on Algaelink and consider updating the info on them.