Targeted Growth Tinkers with Genes to See If Algae Can Fulfill Biofuel Potential
Summary
Targeted Growth‘s business depends today in large part on its ability to breed new camelina seeds as a source for biofuel.Targeted Growth is no exception, having declared in a press release last month that it achieved a “breakthrough” in genetic modification of algae that would help make algae-based biofuels compete, once and for all, with petroleum on price.I wanted to dig beneath the headline, so I called up the general manager of Targeted Growth’s bio-based materials group, Margaret McCormick.And algae doesn’t depend on a growing season like corn or soybeans, so it can pump out far higher yields of biofuel per acre.Many big-name investors have flocked to this corner of the biofuel industry, including Bill Gates and Arch Venture Partners, with their favorite candidate, San Diego-based Sapphire Energy.