SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Green Star Products, Inc. (OTC:GSPI)
announced today that its Phase II Algae-To-Biodiesel Demonstration
Facility (40,000 liters) has been successfully completed.
GSPI's May 11, 2007 press release, titled 'Green Star Completes Algae
Phase I Demo Facility', explained in detail the five most important
operating parameters that need to be controlled. However, management
of these parameters has so far eluded the commercial microalgae
industry.
These parameters include daily and seasonal pond temperatures, pH,
evaporation, salinity and invasion by outside organisms.
Mr. Joseph LaStella, President of GSPI, stated, "The GSPI
demonstration facility which is a full-size module of our planned
production facility furnished GSPI with a wealth of field information
and patentable low-cost construction techniques."
Phase II testing included pushing the survival environmental envelope
of the developed algae strain (zx-13) utilized by GSPI.
Mr. LaStella further stated, "The zx-13 strain survived at elevated
temperatures, much higher than any tested in most of the available
literature over the last 50 years. Temperature testing by Universities
usually cuts off at 90 °F, this zx-13 strain successfully endured peak
temperatures of 115 °F for several hours on successive days."
Also tested were salinity levels outside the normal operating range
for saltwater algae and the zx-13 strain exhibited strong
survivability. The zx-13 strain also exhibited acceptable 21% oil
content. The balance of the biomass is being tested for high-grade
protein content to be used as animal feed and organic fertilizer.
The only item that caught GSPI personnel unprepared was the
exponential growth of the algae.
Mr. LaStella stated that "Growth rates of algae are phenomenal, just
consider that many algae, including the zx-13 strain, are capable of
reproducing themselves from 1.5 to 4 times per day depending on
environmental conditions. This means that, even at nominal growth
rates, one cell will grow to one million microalgae cells in 15 days
that continue to grow to one trillion cells in the next 15 days if
conditions and space for growth are available."
Algae harvesting occurred sooner than expected and GSPI had not yet
received all harvesting equipment.
GSPI harvesting techniques allow only the algae cells larger than 2
microns to be captured and the smaller size algae returned to the pond
to reproduce.
In an effort to harvest as soon as possible a 1,750 rpm vane pump was
used instead of a slurry pump and resulted in shearing and damaging
the smaller algae cells returning to the pond, which caused a
temporary pond shutdown.
Mr. LaStella stated that: "This is not an operational problem, it's
only part of the learning curve."
The success of the Montana demonstration facility has paved the way
for the next stage, which is a 100-acre production facility. At the
present time GSPI is in negotiations in three states for this 100-acre
facility, i.e. California, Missouri and Utah.
One of the major considerations for our next site is the ability to
expand to a much larger facility of 500 to 1,000 acres.
Mr. LaStella also re-stated five important algae factors, which will
play a major role in weaning the U.S. off foreign oil and reduce
global warming. These are:
1) Algae produce 100 times more oil per acre than traditional food
oilseed crops (i.e. corn, soy, etc.)
2) Algae eat CO2, the major Global Warming Gas, and produce oxygen
3) Algae require only sunshine and non-drinkable (salt or brackish) water
4) Algae do not compete with food crops for either agricultural land
or fresh water
5) Algae can reproduce themselves and their oil every 6 hours, while
it takes Mother Nature millions of years to produce crude oil in the
ground
GSPI urges everyone who is interested in Global Warming and the Peak
Oil Crisis to view the two-minute video
(http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=595872956429027619&hl=
en)* and listen to the interview
(http://www.wallst.net/audio/audio.asp?ticker=GSPI&id=3382). Also see
GSPI press releases dated May 18 and May 11, 2007. You can find these
links, press releases and more information about algae biodiesel at
GreenStarUSA.com
*(Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pasted into your
Internet browser's address field. Remove the extra space if one
exists.)
Green Star Products, Inc. (OTC:GSPI) (OTC:GSPI.PK) is an
environmentally friendly company dedicated to creating innovative
cost-effective products to improve the quality of life and clean up
the environment. Green Star Products and its Consortium are involved
in the production of renewable clean-burning biodiesel and other
products, including lubricants, additives and devices that reduce
emissions and improve fuel economy in vehicles, machinery and power
plants. For more information, see Green Star Products' Web site at
http://www.GreenStarUSA.com, or call Investor Relations at
619-864-4010, or fax 619-789-4743, or email info@GreenStarUSA.com.
Information about trading prices and volume can be obtained at several
Internet sites, including http://www.pinksheets.com,
http://www.bloomberg.com and http://www.bigcharts.com under the ticker
symbol "GSPI".
Forward-looking statements in the release are made pursuant to the
"safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking
statements involve risks and uncertainties, including without
limitation, continued acceptance of the company's products, increased
levels of competition for the company, new products and technological
changes, the company's dependence on third-party suppliers, and other
risks detailed from time to time in the company's periodic filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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