Solarvest BioEnergy Inc.
North American and European consumers are becoming more concerned with health: their own health as they (especially baby boomers) age and the health of future generations. As concerns about the impact of pollution on general health and the health of the planet mount, the public in Europe and North America are becoming less and less tolerant of unsustainable practices. Solarvest Inc.’s innovative algae technologies allow for the production of a variety of environmentally sustainable biological products that are a perfect fit with these current market trends/needs. These products include Omega-3 fatty acid oil production for use in human and veterinary nutrition, algae-derived prescription therapeutics and hydrogen generation from algae as a sustainable fuel source. The Company provides a relevant and diverse portfolio with an excellent potential for success for this innovative clean and green biologics company.
Company details
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- Business Type:
- Manufacturer
- Industry Type:
- Bioenergy
- Market Focus:
- Globally (various continents)
- Year Founded:
- 2006
This company also provides solutions for other industrial applications.
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About Us
The company was formed in 2006 and since that time has been researching algae culture and expression and primarily investing in natural processes to produce high levels of Omega 3 fatty acids. The company is now ready to begin commercialization of these natural and organic human nutraceutical products.
Global Leader
Solarvest (P.E.I.) Inc. is an algae technology company and a world leader in the research and development of natural and genetically modified microalgae strains for high value markets. The Company has expertise in the latest algae-based biological technologies that are directed to develop and commercialize unique nutraceuticals and proprietary technologies including clean energy. The algae technology platform is unique since a single skill set and production process may be applied to seemingly different applications. The current products are well positioned, free of toxins and sustainable which is of great importance to consumers that are buying products to enhance their health.
The company operates two research operations, one in Summerville, PEI that develops proprietary media formulations and industry leading solvent free extraction processes and one Bloomington, Indiana that focuses on genetic enhancements for clean energy. The company has achieved many industry firsts with the highlights including:
- The genetic modification of algae to continually produce hydrogen with sunlight, water, as inputs.
- Industry leading levels of therapeutic protein expression for human and animal health.
- High levels of DHA omega three oil in a natural media with solvent free extraction.
The company continues to research and develop intellectual property for the healthcare and industrial Biotech markets.
Proprietary
Inducible Expression System
Solarvest (PEI) Inc. holds exclusive international patent rights to a controllable system for the production of value-added products from micro-algae.
The patent is described technically as an “inducible protein expression system” which uses “gene circuit technology” to control the expression of genes inside the micro-algae towards the production of different outputs. In general terms, the inducible system is a switch which when activated by the absence of oxygen will turn on the cellular machinery and will start producing a protein within the cell. Depending on which genes our technicians insert into the algae, we have the capacity to control what protein will be produced.
Two ways that we apply this system are in the production of high-value proteins, which are difficult to produce in typical protein producing organisms such as bacteria, and in the production of hydrogen gas for energy. In order to produce high-value proteins from algae, our technicians engineer the algae with the appropriate genes and then grow these new algae strains in large contained vessels. The algae are then triggered to produce the protein and the culture is harvested and the protein is extracted from the algae culture and purified. In order to produce hydrogen, the algae are engineered to produce a protein that controls a very ancient cellular mechanism, which allows the cells to recombine hydrogen atoms. These hydrogen atoms are produced by the cell from the splitting water molecules, into hydrogen gas. Since this process releases atoms which the cell would typically be used by the algae to create energy for itself, the process will only continue until the cell’s energy reserves are depleted, at which time the cell will revert to its typical mode of producing oxygen (the process of photosynthesis) until it is once again “switched” into hydrogen production mode. This process will continue as long as there are nutrients available to the cells.
Other Patents
Solarvest is also working on several other patent applications and patentable concepts, including additional submissions surrounding hydrogen and protein production platforms in algae; as well as, submission surrounding the chemical-free production of Omega-3 fatty acids from algae for the food and nutraceutical markets. The Omega-3 research is focused on developing natural methods of culturing algae to optimize Omega-3 production; hence, only natural strains of algae, along with chemical-free ingredients and processes are used, making this product GMO-free and organic-certifiable.