Can algae solve our looming energy problems? Some people think so, and they are building facilities and processing plants to take advantage of this exciting new technology.
Its potential for use as an alternative and renewable fuel source biodiesel, specifically has scientists and researchers scanning puddles and ponds for more and better forms of the slimy green scum. Currently, there are at least 60,000 known species of algae, and more are being discovered every year.
Algae is a very fast growing microscopic plant one of the fastest growing plants in the world and it is almost 50% oil by weight. That precious oil could be used to power cars, trucks and planes.
Algae oil can be used in diesel engines or it can be further processed to make biodiesel. The process for
extracting oil from algae is the same as is used for converting other plants like corn into biodiesel. But algae yields much more oil per acre than corn. Some estimates are as high as 15,000 gallons of oil per acre for algae, compared to 20 gallons per acre for corn. High yields and minimal fresh water needs make algae a very attractive biodiesel project.
Algae production does not use valuable farm or crop land. It grows almost anywhere even in seawater, saving valuable fresh water supplies. Algae, too, is known for its ability to soak up pollutants from power plants and sewage treatment plants.
In fact, algae is being tested as a carbon absorber at power plants. Toxic emission from smokestacks can be diverted through algae holding ponds. The algae feeds on the carbon, reducing greenhouse gases.
Algae is completely non-toxic and is highly biodegradable. Once the oil is processed from the algae, the remaining residue can be processed into ethanol. It is also suitable as a fuel for power plants. It contains no lead or sulfur and is completely renewable.
New techniques for growing algae are helping to make it more space efficient to grow. Costs are coming down and there is hope that algae or oilgae will eventually be competitive with fossil fuels. Grown in ponds, bags or tanks, algae can thrive in places inhospitable to other common biodiesel plants, including urban areas and deserts.
Algae oil is a very exciting trend in the field of alternative and renewable energy. As our energy needs increase and the need for clean, renewable resources grow, tiny algae plants look very big indeed.
