Award Number: DE-EE0007965CX(s) Applied: A9, B3.6, B5.15Bioenergy Technologies OfficeLocation(s): CAOffice(s): Golden Field Office
Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance
June 29, 2017
Estimated Read Time min
Pilot-Scale Algal Oil Production
Award Number: DE-EE0007965
CX(s) Applied: A9, B3.6, B5.15
Bioenergy Technologies Office
Location(s): CA
Office(s): Golden Field Office
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to provide federal funding to Global Algae Innovations, Inc. to plan and design a new pilot-scale algae cultivation and processing facility that would produce algal oil for conversion to biofuel at an off-site, existing refinery. This NEPA determination is for Phase 1 including both Budget Periods 1 and 2. If the recipient is selected to move forward into Phase 2, further NEPA review will be necessary once Phase 2 tasks are defined.
Phase 1 of the proposed project would consist of product validation and preliminary planning/design for scale-up of the production process. Associated activities would include data analysis, small-scale research and development, conceptual design, document preparation, project management, and business planning including permitting and regulatory compliance. Desktop planning, design, and management activities would occur at the offices of Global Algae Innovations in Santee, CA and the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) in La Jolla, CA. Algal strain isolation and characterization at laboratory scale (~60 kg algae) would take place within dedicated University research facilities at UCSD. These activities would not require any new permits, additional licenses and/or authorizations. No change in the use, mission or operation of existing facilities would arise out of this effort.