Algal biofuels development receives $3.5 million investment

Cellana, a biofuels company based in Kailua-Kona, will receive a $3.5 million (€2.6 million) grant from the US Department of Energy (DOE) to pursue an integrated, high-yield algae biofuel feedstock production system at their Kailua-Kona, Hawaii demonstration facility.

Cellana's research efforts have led it to use algae to produce various products including a new form of renewable biofuel.

'This important Energy Department investment will accelerate the development of new local biofuels and help build Hawaii's research and development industry,' says senator Brian Schatz.

The Cellana project contributes towards the Energy Department's goal of reducing the price of algal biofuel to an ambitious level by 2022.