facility

THE HAWAIIAN
ALGAE COMPANY
HawaiiHR BioPetroleum, Inc. has developed novel technology that employs marine algae to convert industrial emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) into biomass feedstocks that can be further processed into biofuels and other valuable products.

COMPANY OVERVIEW

VIEW CORPORATE PRESENTATION (pdf)

HR BioPetroleum, Inc. (HRBP) is a Hawaii-based renewable energy technology company focused on utilizing the most productive plants on earth—marine microalgae—to produce biofuel feedstocks and other valuable products while simultaneously reducing industrial emissions of CO2. Our proprietary process, called ALDUO™ technology, leverages the photosynthetic power and rapid growth characteristics of microalgae to convert sunlight, CO2, and other nutrients into inexpensive vegetable oils and biomass for conversion into important products.

Founded in 2004 to build on proven algae cultivation technologies that were commercialized for other applications, HRBP’s in-licensed and independently developed technologies have solved the issues that plagued earlier efforts to develop economical transportation fuel feedstocks from microalgae. Our proprietary Alduo™ technology is based on the coupling of enclosed photobioreactors, in which single strains of algae are grown continuously, with open ponds, in which the algae are grown at larger-scale and harvested frequently. This hybrid approach minimizes overall cost and avoids the contamination problems that have prevented large-scale commercialization of open-pond-based algae production in the 1980’s, 1990’s, and today.

Our goal is the large-scale production of biofuel feedstocks and other valuable products from marine microalgae, while converting CO2, the primary greenhouse gas, emitted by stationary sources of fossil fuel combustion, such as power plants, cement factories, and ethanol plants.

All critical elements of HRBP’s algae cultivation technology have been demonstrated at industrial-scale through our pilot facility on the Kona coast of the Big Island of Hawaii.

Funding includes, in addition to angel funding, corporate funding via grants from or contracts with the National Defense Center of Excellence for Research in Ocean Sciences (CEROS), the U.S. Department of Energy, and the University of Hawaii. Investment to date is more than $2.5 million, in addition to the $20+ million that has been invested in the technologies in-licensed by HRBP.

JOINT VENTURE WITH SHELL

In December 2007, HR BioPetroleum and Shell International Renewables BV (Shell) announced the formation of a strategic joint venture company, called Cellana, to build a demonstration facility in Hawaii to utilize HRBP’s technology to grow marine algae and produce oil for conversion into biofuel.

This agreement is a landmark for HRBP, as it provides our technology with a solid platform for pre-commercial and commercial development and potential commercial deployment worldwide.

HRBP intends to utilize the technologies, experience, and knowledge developed as part of its Cellana joint venture with Shell to develop a portfolio of commercial-scale algae production facilities to be located adjacent to power plants, cement factories, and ethanol plants in North America and other parts of the world.

COMPETETITVE ADVANTAGE

HR BioPetroleum has a comprehensive package of strengths not found in any of our competitors. HRBP’s combination of unique assets, knowledge, experience, partnerships, and access to key resources includes:

  • Core technology validated at commercial scale: HRBP’s microalgae production technology – photobioreactors, open ponds, process control systems, harvesting techniques– has been operated for years at commercial scale for the small-scale production of high-value products.  This same core technology, which has been in-licensed by HRBP, has been adapted and proven at pilot-scale for the production of vegetable oil that can be used as a feedstock for the production of biodiesel or other biofuels.
  • Valuable intellectual property:  HRBP has developed and in-licensed a powerful IP estate consisting of issued patents, pending patents, and substantial know-how relating to the large-scale, economical cultivation of marine microalgae.  In addition, HRBP has commercial access to important algae strain collections, including a unique algae collection maintained by the University of Hawaii.
  • World-leading scientific expertise:  HRBP’s technology continues to be developed by a world-leading team of scientists and engineers, experienced in microalgae strain development, design, engineering, construction and operation of commercial facilities.
  • Strategic alliances and relationships: HRBP has successfully forged strategic joint ventures and other relationships with Royal Dutch Shell (Cellana joint venture), the University of Hawaii (technology partner and stockholder), and Mera Pharmaceuticals (formerly known as Aquasearch) (technology partner and stockholder), among others.
  • Outstanding, experienced management team:  HRBP’s management team has a proven track record working for and with large and small companies, from start-ups to billion-dollar companies, including the management of multi-million dollar public companies and corporate R&D programs.

TECHNOLOGY

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