According to the following press report startup company Saphire Energy is having enormous success in producing crude from algae.  If commercially feasible and scalable, the new technology could be a game changer for both energy and global warming.  The report concludes that production could become available in five years. Funding bonanza for oil-from-algae firm John Sterlicchi, US correspondent guardian.co.uk, Friday May 30 2008 Article history A Californian start-up company promising “green crude” fuel from algae has been given $50m (£25.33m) in funding from …

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PBS’ News Hour featured a report on a Silicon Valley company, Solazyme, that claims to produce oil from algae by “manipulating genes.”  The company claims it will be producing oil at rates cheaper than the present prices of oil in about three years.  It turns out that this company has more than a few competitors.  Another such development stage company, Saphire, was featured in a story in the L.A. Times today.  In fact,  there is a web site now devoted to efforts aimed at turning algae into oil.   …

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