HydroMentia Elects Panoz as Board Chair
HydroMentia, Inc., a water treatment company that produces algae as part of its process, has elected entrepreneur Donald E. Panoz as Board of Directors chair, replacing Whitfield M. Palmer, Jr. who will assist him as vice-chair.
Panoz has been successful in a number of industries, including pharmaceuticals, real estate, hospitality and motor racing. A founder of both Mylan Laboratories and Elan Pharmaceuticals, he counts the nicotine patch as one of his greatest accomplishments.
“When I started HydroMentia with Whit Palmer in 1993 the algae we used to clean water was considered a nuisance; now it’s an asset that could be a source of biofuel,” said Panoz.
HydroMentia’s Algal Turf Scrubber® technology grows algae in a controlled environment that removes nitrogen, phosphorous and other pollutants that result from wastewater and fertilizer usage.
“Cost reduction is a major focus of biofuel research,” Panoz continued. “You need water and fertilizer to grow any plant-based biomass, including algae. Biofuel companies are finding that this increases cost. This isn’t a problem with the Algal Turf Scrubber®. We reuse fertilizer that has found its way into rivers and streams to grow the algae, and the waterbodies are cleaner as a result. It’s a win-win for all involved.”
HydroMentia, Inc. designs, builds and operates innovative, cost-effective, managed aquatic plant treatment systems for pollution control and water restoration in agricultural, industrial and urban applications.