Using Algae to make Biodiesel!

I just love the idea of using the stuff I try and keep out of the pool all year long for something good. Here is an article over at “Biodiesel Fuel Online.” This is not a new technology but I wonder why it’s not more popular. I guess technologies move much slower in the world of energy. Good Stuff!

Bio diesel Algae Reactor

Is Biodiesel Algae the Future?

Never has it been more important than now to find an alternative fuel source. Unless a different fuel source is located people will continue to be dependent on the oil companies. With new evidence being uncovered daily about the links between the leaders of those countries producing petroleum and terrorists - the demand for an alternative fuel has never been much higher than it is now.

Biodiesel fuel seems to be the answer for many reasons and being able to produce biodiesel from an algae seems to point the way forward.

This method has been proven to be possibly the most economical of methods thanks to the amount of land needed to produce the biodiesel being relatively small.

The algae itself contains a vast amount of natural oil thus making it a perfect candidate for creating the fuel. Biodiesel algae can also be grown and harvested very quickly meaning the production process is sped up dramatically.

Studies have shown that algae can produce up to 30 times more biodiesel than the crops that are currently used. Biodiesel made from algae is also biodegradable and is non-toxic.

Some were concerned that growing algae may cause problems with land currently used for growing crops, those fears have been allayed due to the fact that algae can grow in virtually any climate. This means that even land which isn’t suitable for farming can now be used to grow algae. Going further this may be beneficial to countries unable to grow crops due to their economy - the relative cheapness of growing biodiesel algae could be a Saviour for them.

There’s still a long way to go for biodiesel fuels. However, the more algae that’s grown, the more awareness will increase. People will purchase biodiesel vehicles and the alternate fuel source could take off more than it already has. At least, that’s the plan…

Earlier this year a New Zealand company was the first to mine biodiesel from algae found in sewage. In May of this year the first production of biodiesel from algae outside the laboratory was carried out. Of course the benefit of obtaining biodiesel from this type of algae is that it already exists - in fact there’s too much of it - in the sewage. Algae can take out chemicals in the sewage but if there’s too much of it, the algae can taint the water. Read more on this story here

Thursday, May 15th, 2008 Think Green

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