Press Releases
SAPPHIRE ENERGY EXPANDS LEADERSHIP TEAM WITH NEW CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
SAN DIEGO, May 22, 2013 – Sapphire Energy, Inc., one of the world leaders in algae-based Green Crude oil production, today announced that Dr. Matthew Croughan will join the company as Chief Technology Officer. Dr. Croughan is a world renowned engineer and researcher in industrial bioprocessing, having most recently served as George B. and Joy Rathmann Professor and Director of the Amgen Bioprocessing Center at Keck Graduate Institute (KGI), a member of the Claremont Colleges Consortium. He has also served as a member of Sapphire Energy’s Scientific Advisory Board since June 2012. In the newly created role of CTO, Dr. Croughan will guide the company in its effort to refine and scale its technologies and algae-to-energy process as it moves towards commercial scale production of Green Crude oil.
SAPPHIRE ENERGY ENTERS INTO A COMMERCIAL AGREEMENT WITH TESORO FOR PURCHASE OF GREEN CRUDE OIL
SAN DIEGO, March 20, 2013 – Sapphire Energy, Inc., a leader in algae-based Green Crude oil production, today announced it has entered into a commercial agreement with Tesoro Refining and Marketing Company, LLC, a subsidiary of Tesoro Corporation. Under the agreement, Tesoro will purchase crude oil from Sapphire Energy’s Green Crude Farm in Columbus, New Mexico, which recently reached a new milestone: continuous cultivation and crude oil production. This begins the first step of a commercial relationship to process Green Crude oil from Sapphire’s future commercial facilities.
SCIENTISTS PUBLISH FIRST IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF ALGAE PARASITE IMPACT ON SCALABLE ALGAE BIOFUEL PRODUCTION IN PLOS ONE JOURNAL
SAN DIEGO, February 20, 2013 – As part of an ongoing effort to improve commercial scale algae biofuel production, a group of scientists, led by crude oil producer Sapphire Energy, Inc., today announced the completion of a collaborative study which identified the morphology, ultrastructure, and life history of A. protococcarum, one of the most difficult to manage algae parasites. Their findings are detailed in “Characterization of Amoeboaphelidium Protococcarum: An Algal Parasite New to the Cryptomycota Isolated from an Outdoor Algal Pond Used for the Production of Biofuel,” published today in the online scientific journal PLOS ONE. The article provides a comprehensive study of the parasite challenge facing crop protection for scaled algae cultivation in open-pond systems. These results will provide a broader understanding and promote the development of sustainable management strategies for biofuel production.
Statement from Cynthia ‘CJ’ Warner, CEO and chairman of Sapphire Energy, Regarding the Awarding to Dr. Leroy Hood of a National Medal of Science from President Barack Obama at the White House
SAN DIEGO, February 1, 2013 – “On behalf of Sapphire Energy, I want to congratulate Dr. Leroy Hood on being honored with the National Medal of Science from President Obama today. As the co-founder and president of Seattle-based Institute for Systems Biology, Dr. Hood’s innovative research and application of systems biology in the fields of health and the environment is working to solve some of the most important scientific challenges our society faces today, including furthering the scientific research and development of scalable algae biofuel production as the chairman of our Scientific Advisory Board. Sapphire Energy is very proud to be associated with Dr. Hood and send him our most heartfelt congratulations for receiving this prestigious honor.”
SAPPHIRE ENERGY APPOINTS NEW CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
SAN DIEGO, January 8, 2013 – Sapphire Energy, Inc., one of the world leaders in algae-based green crude oil production, today announced Thomas ‘Tom’ Willardson has joined the company as Chief Financial Officer. In this role, Willardson brings more than 30 years of experience in leading financial initiatives for public and privately held companies, including serving as CFO for Aurora Algae, Inc.; Energy Recovery, Inc.; and Cost Plus, Inc.; among others. At Sapphire Energy, he’ll oversee financial planning, accounting, insurance, legal, and investor relations.
SAPPHIRE ENERGY GROWS LEADERSHIP TEAM WITH NEW CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
SAN DIEGO, (November 13, 2012) – Sapphire Energy, Inc., one of the world leaders in algae-based green crude oil production, today announced the appointment of Jeff Webster as Chief Operating Officer (COO). In this role, Mr. Webster brings more than 28 years of broad industry experience across biotech, renewable energy, agriculture, and oil & gas, including setting strategic direction and leading implementation of successful new business initiatives for industry leading companies such as Solazyme and Tyson Foods’ Renewable Products Division. At Sapphire Energy, he’ll oversee current and future business operations, business and project development and corporate affairs.
