Bernama (21/5/2008):

KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 (Bernama) — Dutch biotechnology company Ingrepro BV Wednesday announced its plan to invest over 10 million euros (RM49.8 million) in algae plantations for healthcare products, feed additives and development of the PowerFarm concept in Malaysia.

The PowerFarm to be set up at Technology Park Malaysia is an industrial large scale algae production plant to produce cradle-to-cradle renewable biodiesel and biogas.

It will produce algae for biomass using industrial and agricultural waste water, said Ingrepro’s director and chief executive officer Carel Callenbach after signing a technology transfer and business collaboration agreement with Biomac Corp Sdn Bhd and a memorandum of understanding with Algaechem Sdn Bhd here.

It’s good to hear that there are more biotechnology companies invest in Malaysia. Malaysia has stable and suitable weather conditions for growing algae. Algae can be used as fertilizer, alternative energy source (as mentioned in the news), pollution control (the use of wastewater), produce stabilizing substances, and nutritious (can be made into food, such as seaweed a.k.a. “fat choy“). Algae also can be used as agar, chemical dyes and coloring agents. Cosmetics products can also be made by using microalgae.

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