Synthetic Genomics and ExxonMobil’s partnership bore fruit on Monday, said a press release that announced the development of a modified algae strain that could push algae-based energy closer to being a commercially viable alternative energy source. The only way forward for algae-based energy to become commercial is if a high content strain that grows quickly is discovered. SG’s advanced cell engineering technologies has now managed to enhance the algae’s oil content from 20 to 40 percent, according to an official report published in the peer-reviewed Nature Biotechnology journal. The latest discovery moves the green fuel source closer to that mass market utilization. “We remain convinced that synthetic biology holds crucial answers to unlocking the potential of algae as a renewable energy source ,” said J. Craig Venter, Ph.D., Synthetic Genomics co-founder and chairman. “ We look forward to continued work with ExxonMobil so that eventually we will indeed have […]