Bioprocess Algae

Bioprocess Algae, LLC (BPA, LLC) has technology that enables algae to be produced as a crop, giving ideal opportunity to create agricultural jobs with no reason to outsource operations. BPA produces a home-grown and home-processed product that helps achieve feeding the world and sound financial standing. The company interests in future co-location opportunities to re-use CO2 emissions for high-value algae production as well as strategic partnerships for its algae biomass.

BPA, LLC designs, builds, and operates commercial scale Grower Harvester bioreactors that enable efficient conversion of light and CO2 into high-value microbial feedstock.

BioProcess Algae operates two important production facilities in Maine and Iowa. BioProcess Algae LLC is based in Omaha, Nebraska, and runs a demonstration plant at the Green Plains Inc. ethanol plant in Shenandoah, Iowa. Grower Harvester bioreactors in Shenandoah tie directly into the plant’s carbon dioxide exhaust gas and operate continuously since inoculation in October 2009.BioProcess Algae LLC is a joint venture between Clarcor, BioHoldings, Ltd., and Green Plains Inc.

BioProcess Algae LLC focuses on fulfilling feedstock needs in the animal feeds, nutraceuticals, fish feed, chemicals, and transportation fuels industries for cost-competitive alternatives with favorable carbon balances.

Biomass from the company's algal strands provides a meaningful source of protein and other nutrients used in livestock feed. This industry provides sustenance for the livestock representing a substantial portion of protein human diets around the world. The high protein animal feeds market continues to grow steadily with the food consumption of an expanding global population.

The company focuses on providing health and medical benefits such as fish oil, multivitamins, and supplements. The nutraceuticals market encompasses a diverse array of food and food products providing these benefits.

Focusing on key high-growth segments in the fish meal replacement market is important to the company, providing a more sustainable source.

BPA's algal oil offers a high-quality nutrient composition for the production of plastics, resins, and lubricants. Chemical feedstocks represent an intermediate step in the cost curve. Extracted oils from the company’s algae serves as "drop-in" replacements for conventional chemicals feedstocks.

Biodiesel and ethanol represent a large part of the biofuels market that can be addressed by the company's products. Biofuel feedstocks represent a longer-term opportunity for BioProcess Algae.

The technology at the heart of BioProcess Algae cultivators is a unique high surface area, biofilm-based approach that enhances light penetration, productivity, harvest density, and gas transfer – all traditional bottlenecks to low-cost algae cultivation. The Grower Harvester technology is a flexible platform that allows for the economical production of biomass and secreted metabolites.

BioProcess Algae, LLC has integrated systems that support bioreactor operations and dewatering efforts. Commercial-scale modular systems support current demonstration activities. These systems include Grower Harvester cultivators, flue gas tie-ins, and fully automated operational support such as pH and temperature control, carbon dioxide and nutrient delivery, CIP capability, dewatering, and water reuse. CIP refers to clean-in-place systems that automate essential cleaning and disinfection processes and remove the need for time-consuming disassembly and assembly work.

BPA, LLC engages in strategic partnerships with industry, national laboratories, and academia to help support strain selection and optimization and downstream processing efforts. The company welcomes inquiries from potential new collaborators.