I appreciate your musings DV. Almost on the eve of the opening...

I appreciate your musings DV. Almost on the eve of the opening of our Demonstration Plant, a view of the field to date shows that we have backed a technology which is shunned by the big money and researchers. In the medium term, which is the better technology and the research to do it better will be a debate that we will continue to have. Two things need to be noted at this point. First, in the short to medium term, all algae based researchers are equal and the standard of success is to produce a technology at a price that will beat oil - the number one rival, perhaps, the reigning energy champion. Many of these technologies can only be commercially successful if the oil price rises, which, long term, it inevitably will. Secondly, pond technology is where all the money is. It is being supported by the major oil firms (I believe Shell is still the largest supporter of algae research), many universities (my count approaches a hundred, but I am finding more all the time), and airlines of which Lufthansa seems to have been a late starter in finding a algae partner, and of course government, especially the armed forces.
It seems to me, if the demonstration plant is successful (and I would love to get to the opening), There will have to be a major re-weighting of where algae research money is spent in the future. McConchie would have single handed changed the way we view the commercialisation of algae.