Algae is considered as one of the renewable energy sources of the future. When we talk about alternative fuels, algae actually yields one of the best oil alternatives ever.

Most of the strains that are being investigated as a source of biofuel are green algae, though it looks like some of the red algae are also being examined.
For those that are unaware of algae systematics, green, red, and brown algae are eukaryotic – most are placed in the plant kingdom, though the systematics here are still in revision. Blue-green algae are cyanobacteria, and are prokaryotic like all other bacteria.
Actively involving algae in the economy is an interesting concept. Algae is fast growing, particularly in freshwater that is rich in phosphates and nitrates (remember the algal blooms before we removed phosphates from detergents?). But caution must be taken in the choice of algal strains. Some algae strains can cause problems – some strains produce toxins that can kill fish and other organisms, and can make humans very sick. I would also stress the use of contained algal “farms” rather than natural freshwater systems, since algal blooms use up enormous amounts of oxygen (due to high rate of decomposition of dead algae). Oxygen poor freshwater systems cannot support higher forms of life like insects and fish.

Various strains of algae do contain relatively high concentrations of oil, compared to other oil producing crops. However, the main problem appears to be in commercial production of single algae varieties. While it is possible to grow a single strain in a lab, large scale production can not maintain the sterile conditions of the lab, making it more likely that predatory organisms and other algae varieties will move into the growing medium. I think in the long term we will still find this viable, but the oil yields will be lower than the high-end yields currently being thrown around. See the 9 August edition of New Scientist magazine for some interesting material on algae fuel production.

Algae is perhaps the most efficient means to convert atmospheric carbon dioxide into a usable hydrocarbon fuel; one source compared one hectare of palm oil plantation (the most efficient plant producer of oil) producing 17.5l per year, compared with a one-hectare pond of algae producing 1,000l. Algae generated the vast majority of our hydrocarbon oil over many millions of years. You can find a great deal of information on algae and algal oil at or through the site below – Oilgae.com.
There is a commercial scale process functioning at a natural gas electric generating station in Arizona named Redhawk (see www.aps.com) which grows the algae in enclosed cylindrical containers; its primary function is the evaluate its worth in CO2 purging from the exhaust streams. According to LI Member Alan Carvahlo there is an extensive acreage being developed in Texas, apparently to experiment with flat-pond growth.
One problem is the apparent discouragement of research into the technology by governments – here in Australia any attempt to seek grand research or any other kind of funding for algal oil is branded ‘co-generation’ and is exempted from support.

Links:

• http://www.oilgae.com
• http://www.aps.com
• http://www.omnipotentia.com

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