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Valcent's Releases Profitable Initial Production Estimates For its Vertical Vegetable Growing Systems

Submitted by Bill St. Clair on Sun, 2008-06-29 17:36.

Valcent press release - a new method of growing vegetables promises to make food productiion and biofuels much more efficient. If their numbers are correct, it looks to me like this could solve the world's food and energy problems for a good long time. See photo galleries for their High Density Vertical Growth System and High Density Vertical Bioreactor.

Quote:
El Paso, TX; March 13 - Valcent Products Inc. (OTCBB: VCTPF) -- Data from its fully operational field test plant has confirmed commercial production potential with several companies expressing interest to build out commercial plants on a joint venture basis. A commercial module of one-eighth acre (5,445 square feet) is estimated to have capital costs of $565,000; using a wholesale price for leafy lettuce of $1.10 per head, may have gross annual revenues in excess of $1,300,000 with earnings before tax of approximately $505,000 supporting management's estimated 89% internal rate of return over 10 years.

Valcent's High Density Vertical Vegetable Growing System (VGS) has now been operating over the last six months and has produced leafy lettuce, micro greens, spinach, herbs, mints, beets, strawberries, wheat grass, alfalfa and other grains. During this period, the system has proven production capabilities on average, of approximately 20 times the amount of vegetables per acre grown in a field while requiring only 5% of the water used for field crops. The VGS system will be sold in one-eighth acre modules that contain 1,320 grow panels and the production modules may be scaled, depending on the growers' output and crop diversity requirements.

...

The research and development team of Valcent Products Inc. has now completed twelve months of the algae vertical bioreactor development program. During a 90-day continual production test, algae was being harvested at an average of one gram (dry weight) per liter. This equates to algae bio mass production of 276 tons of algae per acre per year. Achieving the same biomass production rate with an algal species having 50% lipids (oil) content would therefore deliver approximately 33,000 gallons of algae oil per acre per year.

The primary focus of the 90-day continuous production test was determining the robustness of the field test bed. Other secondary tests were also conducted including using different ph levels, C02 levels, fluid temperatures, nutrients, types of algae, and planned system failures. It is important to note that the system has not been optimized for production yields or the best selection of algae species.

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