Biographical Sketch:
John Benemann, Ph.D., CEO, graduated from the University of California Berkeley with a B.S. in Chemistry and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, researcher at U.C. Berkeley in the departments of Civil Engineering and Microbial and Plant Biology, Associate Professor at Georgia Institute of Technology and Adjunct Professor at the University of Hawaii. He has authored over a hundred peer-reviewed publications, technical reports and reviews. His business experience includes several technology startups, strategic planning and execution of major R&D initiatives by large companies and government agencies and the production and marketing of algae biomass for aquaculture feeds and nutritional products. He is a founding Director of the Algae Biomass Organization, Dr. Benemann has carried out R&D in waste treatment, biofuels and algal biomass production, including anaerobic digestion, controlled bioreactor landfills, algal mass cultivation, and municipal wastewater treatment. During the 1970s he led an independent research group at U.C. Berkeley where, with the late Prof. William Oswald, he studied bioflocculation for low-cost algal harvesting and introduced paddle wheel mixing for raceway algae ponds. He participated in the 1980-1996 US DOE Aquatic Species Program (ASP) and a main author of its final report.
Education and Training:
B.S. University of California, Berkeley. Chemistry 1965
Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley. Biochemistry 1970
Postdoctoral Research Chemist, Chemistry Dept., University California San Diego 1970 -1974
Research and Professional Experience:
CEO, MicroBio Engineering Inc., San Luis Obispo, California, 2009 - present
Director, Algae Biomass Organization (not-for-profit, www.algaebiomass.org), 2008 - present
Manager, International Network for Biofixation of CO2 and Greenhouse Gas, 2002 - 2007
Adjunct Professor, Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, University of Hawaii 2002 - 2004
Agent and Consultant, Parry Nutraceuticals /E.I.D. Parry (India) Ltd. 1997- 2009
Inst. for Environmental Management Inc. (not-for-profit), Founder 1993 - present
and President, 1993 – 2004, Director 2005- , Palo Alto, California
Associate Research Engineer and Biochemist, Departments of Civil Engineering and Plant & Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley (part time) , 1993 - 2000
Consultant, Benemann Associates,1988 - present
Director, SeaAg Inc. (for profit), Vero Beach, Florida, 1988 - 2007
Associate Professor, School of Applied Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, 1984 - 1988
President, Ecoenergetics / EnBio Inc., Fairfield, California, 1980 - 1983
Associate Research Biochemist, Department of Civil Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, 1976 - 1980
Research Biochemist, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Berkeley, California, 1975
Selected Publications:
Woertz, I.W., J.R. Benemann, N. Du, S. Unnasch, D. Mendola, B G. Mitchell, T.J. Lundquist (2014). “Life Cycle GHG Emissions from Microalgal Biodiesel – a CA-GREET Model” Env. Sci. Tech. 48 (11), 6060–6068.
Benemann, J. (2013). “Microalgae for Biofuels and Animal Feeds”, Energies 2013, 6, 5869-5886. www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/6/11/5869/pdf
Benemann, J., Woertz, I., & Lundquist, T. (2012). Life Cycle Assessment for Microalgae Oil Production” Disruptive Science and Technology, 1(2): 68-78. doi:10.1089/dst.2012.0013
Craggs, R.J., S. Heubeck, T.J. Lundquist and J.R. Benemann (2011). “Algal biofuels from wastewater treatment high rate algal ponds,” Water Science & Technology, Vol. 63: 660-665.
Lundquist, T.J., I.C. Woertz, and J.R. Benemann (2011). “Algal high rate ponds with CO addition for energy efficient nutrient recovery,” Proc. Nutrient Recovery and Management Conference, Water Environment Federation, January 9-12, 2011, Miami, Florida, pp. 14.
Benemann, J.R. (2013). “A Technology Roadmap for Greenhouse Gas Abatement with Microalgae”. Report to DOE-NETL (U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory), and the International Energy Agency Greenhouse Gas Abatement Programme, Cheltenham UK, January 2003. www.co2captureandstorage.info/networks/networks.htm
Weissman, J.C., and J.R. Benemann (2003). "Comparison of Marine Microalgae Culture Systems for Fuels Production and Carbon Sequestration" Proc. National Technology Energy Laboratory /Dept. of Energy. 1st National Conf. on Carbon Sequestration. US DOE-NETL,Alexandria, Virginia, May 2003.
Benemann, J.R., (2002) Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Potential for Mitigation from Wastewater Treatment Processes. Report to the Electric Power Research Institute and U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, DOE NETL.
Benemann, J.R., (2002) "Hydrogen and Methane Production by Microalgae". In A. Richmond, ed., Microalgae Biotechnology. Blackwell Science.
Pedroni, P., J. Davison, H. Beckert, P. Bergman and J. Benemann (2001). A Proposal to Establish an International Network on Biofixation of CO2 and Greenhouse Gas Abatement with Microalgae (Report to U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, NETL, published in https://www.netl.doe.gov/publications/proceedings/01/carbon_seq/p17.pdf)
Benemann, J.R. and A. San Pietro (2001) Technical Workshop Biological Hydrogen Production. Sept. 28-29 Bethesda, MD. Final Report to the U.S. Dept. of Energy, Hydrogen Program.
Benemann, J.R. and Benemann J.R. and W.J. Oswald (1996). Systems and Economic Analysis of Microalgae Ponds for Conversion of CO2 to Biomass, Final Report to the Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center (now NETL), U.S. Department of Energy, pp.260, March 21, 1996. www.osti.gov/bridge/servlets/purl/493389-FXQyZ2/webviewable/493389.pdf
Patents
Augenstein. D.C., J. R Benemann (2011). “Collection of landfill gas at variable rates to match temporal needs for energy generation”. U.S. Patent, Jul, 5 2011: US 7972082 (first published May, 28 2009, US 20090136298)
Benemann, J.R., and D.C. Augenstein. (2009). “Process for Biological Production of Hydrogen and Methane Fuels”, U.S. Patent 7,575,907, August 18, 2009.