Welcome to Sunrise Ridge Algae, Inc.
We are a private Texas corporation engaged in research,
development and commercialization of aquatic biomass technology for reduction of water and greenhouse gas
pollutants and production of renewable fuel feed stocks.
Sunrise Ridge has more than 5 years experience in algae and other
next-generation biofuels systems, and operates a biomass farm and pilot scale
conversion facilities near Katy, Texas.
Recent News
August 2010 
We have received two new reactor systems (one large batch and one
continuous) and are completing the remainder of the system and
controls. The new reactors will provide substantially larger
capacity to produce more than 1 bbl per week of bioleum, and to consume much
of the biomass production from our farm operation.
The lemna operation at Katy, Texas has successfully expanded to more
than 2 acres of production. We continue to optimize automated harvesting
and farm management approaches.
July 2010
We completed the DOE project. The lifecycle analysis results showed
that closed algae systems can provide effective carbon dioxide sequestration
provided that fertilizer sources and integration with industrial operations
are optimized. Overall economics of the closed algae system are
dependent on the cost of the containment systems, growth medium management
facility and farm productivity. Our assessment is that closed algae
systems may require additional revenue streams (e.g. carbon credits) to
achieve commerciality.
March 2010
We have begun cultivation of lemna at our Katy farm facililty.
Seeding and growth protocols have been established to encourage higher
production yields. Lemna offers substantially lower capital cost,
albeit somewhat smaller areal yields, compared to closed algae systems.
January 2010
Sunrise Ridge Algae was awarded a $643K project supported by a grant from
the US Department of Energy. The project will complete technical,
economic and lifecycle analysis of a carbon dioxide sequestration system based
on the closed algae production system, tied with a cement plant stack source.
2009
CTO Dr. Robert Weber published a commentary
regarding yields and energy balances in reference to research published in the
American Chemical Society Energy and Fuels journal.
Sunrise Ridge Algae announced completion of production and testing of 1
liter sample of algae-derived bio-crude, which it calls "bioleum."
The bioleum product appears to be suitable for refining in a complex petroleum
refinery. Notably, the material has a high heating value (near diesel),
low sulfur (0.22%) and very low phosphorus (<2 ppm). The company continued
to research optimal operating conditions to reduce the level of oxygen and
nitrogen heteroatoms.
Sunrise Ridge arranged for a second algae production facility near Katy,
Texas. The 2 acre facility will test alternate species and
growing/harvesting techniques.
Sunrise Ridge Algae was awarded a sub-contract to provide commercialization inputs to a DARPA algae
consortium, and continued to provide research and development
consulting expertise to private algae clients. The Company has unique capability and
expertise, at the intersection of algae processes and petroleum fuels, that
provide superior value to our customers.
CEO Norman Whitton was selected as Co-Chair of the Greater Houston
Partnership's Energy Collaborative Task Force focused on biofuels. The group focuses on attracting investments in biofuels, to
Texas and the Houston region.
2008
Sunrise Ridge Algae Inc was formally accepted as a Client of the Houston
Technology Center, an incubator for high-tech startups.
The Company was awarded $250,000 from the State of Texas Emerging
Technology Fund. Under the terms of the award, the State of Texas will
become a strategic investor in the Company.
Sunrise Ridge Algae achieved targeted wastewater pollutant reductions and
achieved intermediate level targets for algae production at Hornsby Bend.
The Company conducted a successful lab-scale test of its "dry"
product separation process.
Our Mission
To develop and commercialize algae production systems that are
economically successful at commodity scale.
We are targeting large potential markets, including crude petroleum, chemical
feedstocks, waste water cleanup
(nitrogen, phosphorus) and greenhouse gas emission reduction. Our
strategy is to focus on production system scaling and cost reduction while
managing the aquatic ecology to enhance the productivity of naturally-occurring
aquatic biomass species.
Company Profile
Development Activities
Sunrise Ridge focuses its development activities in two major areas:
- Scale up of aquatic biomass production (including nutrient sourcing, farm
design and management, and harvesting and drying systems)
- Scale up of biomass conversion processes (including integration with
industrial facilities, end-use options for fuel products, and improving the
value of products)
Demonstration Farm Operations
Sunrise Ridge Algae has leased a former fish farm facility near Katy, Texas
to develop its lemna production technology. The facility includes
both indoor and outdoor tanks, and multiple large ponds. Various growth,
harvesting and drying technologies are under development at the facility.
Previous Pilot Test Operations
Sunrise Ridge Algae operated a pilot test facility for more than two years at
the City
of Austin's Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management
Plant. Sunrise Ridge funded and built the facility, and used it to
test multiple generations of closed algae production, harvesting and wastewater
treatment facilities. The City provided space, utilities and feed stocks,
including waste water and carbon dioxide.
The work at the pilot plant facility was completed in February 2010, and the
equipment was removed to make way for an expansion of the sewage treatment works.
Principals
 Mr. Norman Whitton is the
CEO of Sunrise Ridge Algae
Inc. His 26 year career includes more than a decade of
experience in the downstream petroleum and chemical industry while at Conoco
Inc. and EI Du Pont, followed by more than a decade of experience at management
consultancy Arthur D. Little, where he led the Energy Industry practice in
Asia. In recent years, Mr. Whitton has collaborated with a major Malaysian
investor to develop startups in bitumen refining, oil and gas production, and
palm-based biofuels. Mr. Whitton's extensive experience in strategy and operations in the oil industry has
provided unique insights for research in key
elements required for commercial production of commodity fuels.
 Dr. Robert Weber is the Chief Technology Officer of Sunrise Ridge Algae
Inc. Previously, Dr. Weber was a director at TIAX LLC, before which he was
a principal at Arthur D. Little, Inc. and a member of the chemical
engineering faculties at the
University
of
Delaware
and at Yale
University. At Yale he also served for two years as the Associate Dean for Natural
Sciences of the Graduate
School. Dr. Weber received a BA from
Cornell
University
and a PhD from Stanford
University.
 Dr. Jerry Brand is Technical Advisor to Sunrise Ridge Algae Inc. His
32
year career includes extensive research into photosynthesis, culturing and
characterization of algae. Currently, Dr. Brand is Director of the UTEX
algae culture collection at the University of Texas at Austin. The
collection is one of the largest in the world, with more than 3,000 species under
continuous cultivation or cryo-preserved.
Dr. Brand supervises ongoing research sponsored by Sunrise Ridge for algae
species selection in his laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin.
 Mr.
David Griffith is EVP, Ventures and Licensing, for Sunrise Ridge Algae
Inc. In his 35 year career at ConocoPhillips, Mr. Griffith was responsible for
major project development and negotiation. He concluded landmark project
deals, including the world's first major petroleum coke to electricity venture;
one of the major Orinoco tar upgrader projects in Venezuela; and a 400,000 bpd
joint venture refinery in Saudi Arabia. Mr. Griffith also managed Conoco
Inc.'s technology licensing program, and was responsible for marketing the
company's gasification technology suite.
Contact Information
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