What Is Project OMEGA? Experience It At The Green Africa Summit 2023!
NASA scientists working at a San Francisco sewage treatment plant in Hunter's Point believe they've developed a way to use wastewater to make biofuels.
NASA scientists working at a San Francisco sewage treatment plant in Hunter's Point believe they've developed a way to use wastewater to make biofuels. The two-year NASA sponsored project -- called Offshore Membrane Enclosures for Growing Algae (OMEGA) -- is nearing completion at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission's Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant, which processes about 85 million gallons of the city's sewage every day. The main motivation for NASA's OMEGA project is to rapidly develop a feasible alternative to fossil fuels for jet propellants, project scientist Jonathan Trent said.
"It is absolutely crucial that we move away from fossil fuels," he said. The production of biofuels through the processing of algae -- which are the fastest growing plants on earth -- has been acknowledged as a viable alternative, Trent said. Trent and his team have developed a method of growing algae in floating plastic bags filled with wastewater that lay horizontally in saltwater. The temperature inside the plastic containers -- called photobioreactors -- is kept cool and consistent by being submerged in the ocean or saltwater bays. The algae grows on a steady diet of wastewater until it can be harvested and refined into biofuels, which in turn can be used for anything from animal feed to fertilizer to jet fuel, Trent said.
The entire process further cleanses the wastewater, which is gradually released into the ocean through the membranes of the photobioreactors. NASA today unveiled the details of the OMEGA process to the media and potential investors from around the world to determine if the system has commercial potential in the energy markets. The Energy Investment Village is a partnership with the Saldanha Bay Innovation Campus (SBIC), an initiative of Freeport Saldanha, and advisory firm the Research Institute for Innovation and Sustainability (RIIS).
One of the companies chosen for this incredible opportunity this year is biofuel alternative experts SeaH4 (http://www.SeaH4.co.za). The female-led company will be attending the event to showcase the company's solution to bringing green energy to the fuel industry. SeaH4 specializes in making biofuel derived from algae. Their process was shared at Africa Oil Week in 2022.
The company has pioneered a consumer-ready net zero CO2 alternative to fossil fuels. The alternative does not require investment into transport infrastructure. SeaH4 fuels require no changes to engines or the distribution network. Some benefits include minimal technology risk, net zero CO2, and it is an adaptable concept. Currently 5 African nations are investigating bio fuels as a way to start their own internal green energy projects and free themselves from Western debt. through green technology!The project allows the entire oil and gas sector to turn net zero in a short amount of time, while making use of its existing infrastructure. According to the SeaH4 team, where the project is installed, it can kickstart a range of other companies, which can make use of its by-product.
Private investors are people who understand utility scale investment and who share our vision that Africa needs to create, not import, solutions to a sustainable future, seizing the opportunity to gain economic independence from the global north. Investors can get ahead of the curve as many companies are seeking traditional sources of green energy. The concept is not new, but the SeaH4 team looks forward to sharing developments as their team consists of experts. The (investors) understand that for this African transition to Green Energy to happen before the turn of the decade, we need to invest into developing these solutions now.
About Green Energy Africa Summit:
Green Energy Africa Summit (https://GreenEnergyAfricaSummit.com) is the global platform for stimulating deals and transactions across the African renewables industry. The event brings together governments, national regulator and utility companies, independent power players, investors, financial institutions and service providers. The summit will drive deals and investment into energy projects, provide energy access and solutions for the continent and shape the future of Africa.
The Green Energy Africa Summit will return at the CTICC2, Cape Town, South Africa 10 – 11 October 2023. This high-level gathering advocates for policy reforms and the harmonization of Africa's natural resources, to help pave the way for a just energy transition to ensure Africa remains competitive and attractive to global finance.
Held under the theme, “Unlocking Africa’s Sustainable Energy Potential”, the Green Energy Africa Summit, will provide unrivalled opportunities through an active two-day program for stakeholders across the energy value chain to collaborate, offer solutions and build partnerships to help unlock Africa's true socioeconomic potential.
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