Biodiesel from algae sounds promising.
July 14th, 2009 | Published in Energy
I read a bit more today about efforts that are underway to produce biodiesel from algae.
The problem with biofuels made from things like soybeans and corn is that they use the same land and fresh water resources we use to produce food. Since agriculture is under strain too, we can’t solve our energy problems using traditional agricultural production.
What makes algae appealing to me is that they are simple organisms and are adapted to a wide variety of conditions. Of particular interest to me is the fact that many species of algae can live in saltwater environments. Unlike fresh water, saltwater is truly abundant; there are oceans of it out there. The simplicity of algae make them easier to farm. For example, there is no need to worry about pollination. Algae can be grown in a factory style closed system.
What I think is interesting about algae biodiesel is that algae could be grown in dessert environments that are currently unproductive. Imagine covering vast swaths of the Sahara desert with algae farms fed by salt water piped in from the coast.
Biodiesel is a better energy source than wind or solar power because it is storable and can be shipped to where it is needed.
My understanding is that more work is needed to make algae biofuels practical. The properties of the resulting fuel need to be studied. The energy costs of converting the algae to fuel need to be considered. Finally, ways need to be found to grow and process algae efficiently on a large scale.
Algae may not be the answer. However, I’m going to start following the developments in the industry.
