Solazyme - Technology

Technology

Solazyme grows microalgae in the dark, inside huge stainless-steel containers. The company's researchers feed algae sugar, which the organisms then convert into various types of oil. The oil can be extracted and further processed to make a range of fuels, including diesel and jet fuel, as well as other products.

By feeding plant sugars to an oil-producing microalgae in dark fermentation tanks, the technology utilizes "indirect photosynthesis", in contrast to common open-pond and photo bioreactor approaches. The platform is feedstock flexible and can utilize a wide variety of renewable plant-based sugars, such as sugarcane-based sucrose, corn-based dextrose, and sugar from other sustainable biomass sources including cellulosics. Solazyme's technology platform allows them to also produce and sell bioproducts which are made from the protein, fiber and other compounds produced by microalgae.

In the early years of Solazyme, the company's scientists discovered an extract from algae that demonstrated an ability to increase cell regeneration and to reduce inflammation, while protecting from UV light damage. The company created the name "alguronic acid" for the new discovery.