Biodiesel from algae sounds promising.
July 14th, 2009 | Published in Energy | 3 Comments
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.
July 16th, 2009 at 3:21 pm (#)
It sounds like a pipe dream, but sooner or later one of these ideas will develop into a viable net energy gain. Algae may do the job. Hopefully there is enough seawater contribution to the process that the resulting available energy will power the processing and leave a surplus for sale. Corn won’t do it, soybeans won’t do it. Solar won’t do it. No one has demonstrated that wind will do it.
So far none of the alternative energy schemes shows any promise for gain, maybe algae will. Let us be hopeful.
July 17th, 2009 at 8:00 am (#)
ClydeB
We need more than just gain. We also need scalability. We need LOTS of energy. If corn provides gain, it doesn’t help because we don’t have enough space and water to grow it on the scale that is needed.
July 17th, 2009 at 10:53 am (#)
Stephen,
Gain MUST come or there is no point. Corn is less than 50% recovery, so it doesn’t matter how much or how little we have or can produce, it is a loser and so is the biodiesel from soy beans. Same problems. Low yield, diverts needed food supplies, too much water and soil required.
The most promising element of the seawater-algae effort is, as you pointed out, there is lots of seawater and it is well distributed with no political unit having control as is the case with so much of the remaining oil reserves.
I still have hope that someday the hydrogen-oxygen bond can be broken economically but to the best I can determine, no one is even trying. I’d rate that effort as urgent the Manhatten Project was.