HutanBio pioneers algae-based sustainable fuel

A Cambridge (UK) startup called HutanBio says it has developed cost-competitive sustainable fuel from algae without requiring genetic modification or extensive arable land use, marking a significant departure from previous attempts at algae-based biofuels.

The technology builds on decades of research at the University of Cambridge and KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology), where the founding team developed groundbreaking advancements in high-density algae cultivation.

While companies like Viridos have spent years trying to turn genetically engineered algae into biofuels, HutanBio has taken a fundamentally different approach by identifying naturally robust strains that can thrive in desert coastal regions.

Most significantly, HutanBio believes it has cracked the challenge of cost. According to them, for marine applications, their algal oil can be used directly without refining.  HutanBio can still offer significant advantages over current sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which typically costs two to seven times more than conventional jet fuel.