DailyDirt: Blooming Business For Algae
from the urls-we-dig-up dept
Growing fuel from algae is a goal that plenty of scientists have been working on for years. Creating an economically viable process for doing this would be a real game-changer, but so far, there are still some major challenges (and the price of oil is looking remarkably low nowadays, too). Still, progress for growing biofuels from algae is inching along, and here are just a few examples.
- One of the problems for using algae to produce biofuels is that these organisms normally produce lipid oils when they are starved for nutrients — but they don’t grow well under those conditions. However, engineering some diatoms to produce lipids without hindering their growth has been achieved. [url]
- An algae pilot plant in Alabama is making diesel and jet fuel — and treating waste water at the same time. Algae Systems puts waste water, algae and CO2 into large plastic bags and lets the algae grow for a few days offshore in the sun. This process currently produces 3,000 gallons of fuel per acre per year and treats 40,000 gallons of water per acre per year, so it still needs to scale up before everyone is driving/flying around using this biofuel. [url]
- An algae-powered building in Hamburg relies on heat from growing algae to make the building (somewhat) self sufficient. This BIQ building sucks carbon dioxide out of the air, creating biomass, and uses traditional solar panels to augment its power needs. The upfront building costs are significant, but if it can continue to operate with minimal ongoing energy costs, the investment will pan out in the future. [url]
If you’d like to read more awesome and interesting stuff, check out this unrelated (but not entirely random!) Techdirt post via StumbleUpon.
Filed Under: algae, alternative energy, biodiesel, biofuel, biomass, energy, gmo, solar, sustainable, waste water
Companies: algae systems
Comments on “DailyDirt: Blooming Business For Algae”
history is repeating ... yet again
Petroleum’s recent price crash (after years of high prices) will have the same effect as the previous price crash three decades ago (coincidentally after a similar time span of high prices)
In the late 1970s, there was a fortune spent on research and development (the bulk of it taken out of the hides of US taxpayers) into so-called “synfuels” — alternative-energy projects that were dumped within a few years when the Republican-led government pulled the plug on funding, and the final nail in the coffin for synfuels was when the price of petroleum collapsed (and then remained low for the next quarter-century).
Today, getting fuel from algae (or any other farmed crop) would simply be a huge money-loser for as long as petroleum prices remain low, which could be for many years to come (largely depending on US-Russia relations).
But it’s indeed funny how these things appear to run in predictable cycles. Which coincidentally, like women’s clothing fashions historically have, repeat about ever 30 years. 🙂
Re: history is repeating ... yet again
History happens in cycles too. Sometimes faster, sometimes slower and with a few perks. As the old generation that lived the hardships of WWII dies the support for fascist ideas grow in Europe (for instance). We have a bad collective memory.
Algae is also used in large bandages to soak up moisture. Very versatile and useful substance.
There is an ongoing project (somewhat stalled due to the low petrol prices) of producing ethanol from algae here in Brazil. Our coastal areas sure have the proper climate and it would be awesome for really removing carbon dioxide from the air. Contrary to popular belief the oxygen we have today is largely thanks to the absurd primary production from algae. While forests (trees) certainly have some participation their primary role is to help stabilize climate and provide humidity to the air even forming “aerial rivers” like the one that comes from the amazon to the southeast portion of Brazil – which is currently showing signs of disruption in the form of extreme droughts in said region all attributed to the shocking pace the deforestation takes place.
Interesting experiment
http://www.livescience.com/24025-illegal-iron-dumping-phytoplankton-bloom.html
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