S.D. firm will try to develop biofuels from algae

By Thomas Kupper
Union-Tribune Staff Writer
8:26 p.m. July 14, 2009

SAN DIEGO – A San Diego biotechnology company led by genomics pioneer J. Craig Venter has landed a deal with Exxon Mobil that could include more than $300 million in funding to develop biofuels from algae.

Venter, best known for his role in sequencing the human genome, said Tuesday that his company Synthetic Genomics is planning a local greenhouse and test facility to study thousands of strains of algae from around the globe.

The eventual aim is to engineer an algae that would use energy from the sun to convert carbon dioxide into oils and hydrocarbons in large quantities – a feat that would be prohibitively expensive with naturally occurring algae.

“The biggest source of energy on the planet is sunlight,â€