Taiwan Pursuing Microalgae Bioenergy

November 23, 2012
AlgaeIndustryMagazine.com

MOEA officials inspect microalgae bioenergy production equipment Nov. 20 at the Fisheries Research Institute in Donggang Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan. (CNA)

dwin Hsiao reports in Taiwan Today that the ROC Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) in Pingtung County, in southern Taiwan, has just released the results of a joint microalgae bioenergy development program, which aims to replace diesel with an algae-based alternative.

Conducted by Donggang Township-based Fisheries Research Institute and Hsinchu-headquartered Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), the project’s findings confirm that Taiwan researchers are inching closer to creating a cost-effective environmentally friendly product that may help curb the nation’s reliance on fossil fuels.

“Taiwan’s natural environment is perfect for developing this energy source that does not compete for land resources with agricultural production,” an MOEA official said.

MOEA estimates initial production of “algae diesel” at 15,000 liters per year. “This result will be an impressive benchmark and a good return on ROC government support of microalgae bioenergy R&D,” the official said.

ITRI, which recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bio-Products, will help promote the international development of multilayer filtering collection equipment for harvesting microalgae.