Alternative Energy Producer Sapphire Energy Applauds Stimulus Bill Passage
Energy Provisions Will Create Jobs, Energy Independence and Address Climate Change
SAN DIEGO, February 17, 2009 –Today, President Obama and Congress moved our country one step further in securing energy independence while addressing climate change and providing much needed jobs with the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Stimulus Bill). As a nationally recognized company on the leading edge of renewable and scalable alternative fuel production, Sapphire Energy applauds our nation’s leaders for taking this bold step.
“The passage of the stimulus bill by the United States Congress and signing into law by President Obama proves this nation is on a new course to address our energy security needs, fight climate change and create jobs to improve the economy. It’s the right bill, at the right time, with the right priorities, and our nation’s Congressional leaders and President Obama should be congratulated for their leadership,” says Jason Pyle, CEO of Sapphire Energy.
Sapphire Energy has developed a revolutionary, patented platform of sunlight, CO2, photosynthetic microorganisms (algae) and non-arable land to produce carbon-neutral alternatives to petrochemical-based processes and products – in other words, green fuel. A number of provisions in the stimulus bill will allow Sapphire and similar algae-based energy companies to continue vital research and development and to produce replacement transportation fuels which contribute to energy independence and support initiatives to lower greenhouse gases, including:
An $800 million increase to the U.S. Dept. of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Biomass Program. The program targets the very classification of renewable energy feed-stocks used in a range of new energy technologies to reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign oil and lower greenhouse gases resulting in climate change from using hydrocarbon-based energy sources. The Biomass Program helps transform the nation’s renewable and abundant biomass resources into cost competitive, high performance biofuels, bioproducts and biopower.
States will receive a significant appropriation to fund renewable energy projects.
Grants of $24.7 billion for renewable energy research, energy efficiency, weatherization aid, advanced battery manufacturing, electric vehicle programs, smart grid, clean coal and carbon sequestration efforts.
$1.6 billion allocated to the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s Office of Science to fund research in areas such as climate change and biofuels.
$400 million allocated to the Advanced Research Project Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) to support research in collaboration with industry.
$1.52 billion provided for competitive solicitation for a “range of industrial carbon capture and energy efficiency improvement projects, including a small allocation for innovative concepts for beneficial CO2 reuse.” For Sapphire Energy, this is a tremendous step forward because the nation’s leaders recognize the beneficial reuse of CO2, such as using CO2 to grow algae.
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. Products and processes in this category differ significantly from other forms of biofuel because they are made solely from photosynthetic microorganisms, sunlight and CO2; do not result in biodiesel or ethanol; enhance and replace petroleum-based products; and are carbon neutral, renewable and scalable. The final products – gasoline, diesel and jet fuel – meet ASTM standards and are completely compatible with the existing petroleum infrastructure, from refinement through distribution and the retail supply chain.
Sapphire’s Green Crude already has been used successfully in several test flights with the commercial airlines Continental and JAL. For more information about Sapphire Energy, visit the company’s websites at www.sapphireenergy.com and www.greencrudeproduction.com.
