Sapphire Energy Honored to Participate in Introduction of Historic Climate Change Legislation
WASHINGTON, DC, September 30, 2009 – Sapphire Energy is honored to participate in today’s introduction of the Boxer climate change bill. Introduced by Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and John Kerry (D-MA), this historic bill is tackling two of the most challenging and pressing issues of the day: climate change and energy security. As the leading producer of algae-based fuel, Sapphire Energy was founded to tackle these very issues by developing an economically and environmentally sustainable, low carbon, domestically produced alternative to fossil fuels.
“Senators Boxer and Kerry should be commended for their unwavering support of the environment and their tireless devotion to finding viable solutions that help our country develop sustainable energy solutions and reduce its carbon footprint,” says Cynthia J. Warner, president, Sapphire Energy. “As chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works committee, Senator Boxer has shown true compassion for future generations by putting all of her efforts into passing this historic legislative effort to cap emissions in the near term. Her visionary leadership inspires companies like Sapphire Energy to tackle the root of our nation’s CO2 problem by developing alternative, low-carbon drop-in replacements for traditional fossil fuels.”
Sapphire Energy has successfully developed a process that, with only sunlight and CO2, turns algae into Green Crude which can ultimately be refined into gasoline, diesel and jet fuels. Sapphire’s Green Crude fits seamlessly into our nation’s existing energy infrastructure as a complete drop-in replacement fuel. Furthermore, Sapphire’s Green Crude is readily scalable, and can be grown on marginal desert lands in brackish or salt water, avoiding use of agricultural lands and precious fresh water reserves. Most importantly, algae consume enormous amounts of CO2 – drawn from both industrial and atmospheric sources – during its growth process, and beneficially reuse the CO2 by turning it into low-carbon alternative transportation fuels.
The introduction – and ultimate passage – of Senator Boxer’s climate change bill will incentivize industrial emitters of CO2, like coal-burning electric power generators, to transfer their CO2 to companies like Sapphire Energy, whose process turns industrial waste and greenhouse gases (GHG) into low carbon gasoline, diesel and jet fuels. Such “beneficial reuse” of industrial-source CO2 through Sapphire’s algae-based fuel process helps “green” electricity, while also offsetting the introduction of new petroleum-based fuel emissions into the environment. Furthermore, Sapphire’s algae-based fuels are a low-carbon alternative to crude oil that both increases our nation’s energy, and stimulates the development of our domestic green economy.
“As Senators Boxer and Kerry clearly understand, climate change and energy security are issues that affect all of us. We must address these issues now, if we are to have an impact in the long term,” continues Warner. “In Sapphire’s case, we’re ready to answer that challenge by commercializing production of a new generation of algae-based liquid transportation fuels that are low-carbon, domestically produced, and spur economic growth as well as green jobs development.”
About Sapphire Energy:
San Diego-based Sapphire Energy is pioneering an entirely new industry – Green Crude Production – with the potential to profoundly change America’s energy and petrochemical landscape for the better. Sapphire’s products and processes in this category differ significantly from other forms of biofuel because they are made solely from photosynthetic microorganisms (algae), using sunlight and CO2 as their feedstock; are not dependent on food crops or valuable farmland; do not use potable water; do not result in biodiesel or ethanol; enhance and replace petroleum-based products; and are low carbon, renewable and scalable. Finally, Green Crude can be refined into the three most important liquid fuels used by our society: gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. The fuels meet ASTM standards and are compatible with the existing petroleum infrastructure, from refinement through distribution and the retail supply chain. For more information, please visit www.sapphireenergy.com.
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