Algae To Biodiesel
Scientists throughout the world are studying algae as a source of alternative fuel. The reasons for this are obvious, algae grows abundantly all around the world, it grows at a fast place and contains oils that can be processed into biodiesel.
Today, algae is used in a variety of ways for a number of things. It is used in the processing of ice cream, as an additive in cosmetic products and eaten throughout all regions of the world. Algae is now being studied to learn how to extract its precious oils. Oils that could one day save our environment.
Scientists are having a difficult time finding an acceptable process for extracting the oils. The current method of extraction requires a drying and extraction process that is energy intensive. Not a viable alternative.
Recently however, scientists have genetically engineered algae not to convert CO2 and to allow the oil to be excreted into the water. And since oil floats on water it can be retrieved in a fairly simple manner. Once retrieved it is processed into biodiesel.
If all goes well experts estimate that it will take 5 years to have commercial amounts of biodiesel on the market. However, critics point out that not even a single plant has been built and that estimate is grossly understated.
Algae produces thousands of gallons more oil per acre than soy and other crops but bringing the growth, harvest and proces up to scale is another big challenge. There will be a few facilities to go on-line in the US by 2012.
Based on the results so far, it appears algae has the potential to be one the biggest player in the alternative fuel sector - and not a moment too soon!
September 1st, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Couple of points you missed. oil excretion by algae is only done under great metabolic duress - just before death. this means the algae culture is killed, so a lot of efficiency is lost to the resulting much less efficient batch culture process. more importantly a great deal of costs are created by having to restart the culture. algae has potential, but comparing oil yields per acre of various organisms is meaningless and its the problem with most bloggers understanding of algae oil. compare yields on a dollars per acre net income and then you have some meaningful comparison. the best gov estimates of algae oil production cost is about $20 per gallon - compared to less than $5/gallon for vegetable oil. you also need to understand that algae oil is more valuable as a food oil than it is as a fuel, so any company that produces algae oil commercially will first sell it as a high quality food oil - with its omega-3 health benefits at prices twice what they could get as fuel. last point - in 1998 crude oil was selling $13/barrel, in 2002 it was still $20 a barrel - price increase since then have been manipulated because actual production costs have not gone up significantly. This means that petroleum producers can lower their oil prices today to as little as $20 a barrel and put any alternative fuel producer out of business that can’t compete with $20 a barrel oil. when the us gov puts a minimum price on crude oil you will then know they are serious about supporting effective alternative fuel development.