ABB technology helps customers efficiently and reliably control algae harvesting and conversion processes

ABB joins hands with renewable algae Energy Co., Ltd. to implement the commercial operation of algae production for renewable fuel and health food ABB technology to help customers efficiently and reliably control the algae harvest and conversion process; the production of algae products is mainly used for nutritional supplements, feeds and fuels.

Zurich, Switzerland-ABB, the world's leading power and automation technology group, announced its cooperation with Rae to commercialize the integrated algae production system, the production of algae products will be oriented to the health care products, animal feed and renewable fuel markets. The OEM system has been developed and tested at the RAE plant in Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to start its first commercial operation in fourth quarter of 2014.

Dr. Jeffrey S. kanel, Chief Executive Officer of RAE, said: "We are honored to be our partners and work together to complete basic R & D on the application of Rae's unique technology to integrated algae production systems. In addition, strategic cooperation with leaders in global power and automation technologies is also a great recognition of Rae's ability to use sustainable algae product technologies for commercial operation ."

Equipment produced by Rae can be used to harvest and extract algae and their by-products, including oil, renewable fuel, protein and carotene, and also for animal feed and nutritional supplements. This scalable system is designed for medium and large algae farms with an area of up to 2,000 hectares (10,000 m² ). ABB will provide 800xa control systems, instruments, low-voltage electrical equipment and inverters to be applied to a comprehensive algae production system for efficient and reliable operation. In addition to process control, the system 800xa can remotely access the base control room of each Algae farm, allowing one operator to view and manage multiple farm locations. The inverter can achieve peak energy efficiency operation of pumps and motors, reducing power consumption by up to 10%.

Tobias Becker, head of ABB's Global Control Technology Business Unit, said: "This solution provides a low-cost and efficient process to harvest and extract algae and their by-products, including oil. The process efficiency achieved by ABB and Rae technologies makes the production of sustainable fuel and nutrition a commercially viable business activity ."

Renewable algae Energy Co., Ltd. was established in 2007 and is headquartered in Johnson, Tennessee. This patented technology, developed and presented by a world-class team of scientists and engineers, provides an economic and sustainable way for algae products to serve the health products, animal nutrition and renewable fuel markets.