Tech alliance for Biomass

SWITZERLAND: Foster Wheeler AG's Global Engineering and Construction Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with PetroAlgae for engineering services to be performed in conjunction with PetroAlgae’s micro-crop biomass technology, which allows for the production of dry biomass at a very large scale.

Foster Wheeler intends to work with PetroAlgae to develop commercial solutions that will allow existing oil refineries to convert micro-crop biomass into fuels that are functionally compatible with petroleum-based fuels in the current market. For refineries, the solutions are expected to provide strong economics from the large-scale processing of PetroAlgae’s micro-crop biomass into green fuels. The two firms will intend to create end-to-end market solutions for the large-scale production of green gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and specialty chemicals.

“Our company has long been a global leader in engineering solutions to some of the world’s major energy problems” said Umberto della Sala, president and chief operating officer of Foster Wheeler AG. “We believe we can play a significant role in helping refineries realize the potential of processing biomass into green fuels. We are excited about the opportunity to work with a dynamic organization like PetroAlgae and to have the opportunity to develop biomass conversion solutions that will help the refinery industry realize the potential of green fuels.”

“Foster Wheeler’s engineering and refining expertise coupled with our commercial scale biomass technology will provide an opportunity to create end-to-end market solutions for optimizing the conversion of large quantities of biomass into large quantities of green fuels,” said Dr. John Scott, chairman of PetroAlgae. “Through this partnership, we expect to further optimize our fuel and petroleum replacement output, more rapidly integrate with current refinery systems and realize the benefit of Foster Wheeler’s ability to bring innovation to the process. These solutions offer the promise of transforming sunlight into fuels, thereby providing countries around the world with yet another option on the path to sustainable and clean energy independence.”

PetroAlgae Inc. is an alternative energy company that licenses a commercial micro-crop technology system to produce clean fuel and food in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Foster Wheeler AG is a global engineering and construction contractor and power equipment supplier delivering technically advanced, reliable facilities and equipment.