Algae Into Oil: The New Alchemy?
Fuel dependency has created a riot in the world market and has caused oil prices to skyrocket worldwide. This is not an uncommon phenomenon, especially during war time. Many people wish to make it possible to obtain alternative sources for fuel. This has proven to be somewhat difficult when using biofuels, as they are usually made from active food sources such as corn and soybeans. Another efficient solution has been found for creating oils by using algae grown in various different types of water, even salt water and waste water. This is a great advancement, especially because algae are not used as a large food source in most places, especially in the United States.
Many of the fuels that can be produced with algae carry large amounts of power and are cleaner for the earth when used properly. Algae converts into oil relatively well as it turns most of its resources into biomass that is rich in oils for use in cooking, vehicles and other applications. Creating the biofuels from these organic oils is a simple process of refining that takes a much shorter time to process than other oils extracted from the earth. Biodiesels and other fuels created from algae only produce a small fraction of what normal fuels do waste wise and are considered to be relatively clean burning.
Biodiesels are very efficient fuels and can come from many different sources. Algae can be turned into oils in relatively short periods of time and can be reproduced as a renewable resource that also removes harmful pollutants in the air recycling them into clean air and efficient fuels. Many different types of algae can be used to create biofuels and some are capable of growing in salt water. Wastewater is a major problem that also needs to be addressed. As the human population grows, the amounts of fresh water we use each year will continue to deplete and not be replaced fast enough. By growing algae in waste water, we can help to prepare the water for treatment with various natural processes and removing large amounts of contaminants from water so that it can be used in other applications.
The technologies used to make efficient fuels, oils and other substances from organic sources such as algae were the original intention for use in automobiles when they were first created. But since mined oils were more readily available during those time periods, they adapted the technology to use these fossil fuels instead. Efficient fuels created from organic sources should be the path that we take towards conserving our earth’s resources and creating oil independence from foreign sources. This is the first step towards helping the planet and creating an economically and ecologically sound future for everyone.
