Algae Oil Fuel

A field of oil-rich algae is the new frontier of energy production. Using algae to produce fuel is not a new concept. In fact, the technology of extracting fuel from plants already existed a decade ago. The fuels from these plants are called biofuels.

The use of biofuels never became popular because there seem to be insurmountable disadvantages. For example, the mass production of biofuels from corn was never supported because there is a fear that farmers will focus on planting corn for fuel and not for food. This would lead to food shortage or skyrocketing prices of food. Another disadvantage is the possible loss of biodiversity. That is, if a particular crop is chosen as a major source of biofuel, farms of this oil-producing crop might replace large forests.

The good news is that the extraction of biofuels from algae does not face these disadvantages. Algae are not staple foods of humans. Algae can be grown anywhere, without sacrificing forests or biodiversity. Growing oil-rich algae does not require irrigation or any radical transformation of land. These microscopic plants can grow in any body of water, freshwater and saltwater. Algae can even grow in sewage water. That is, while algae are being used in cleaning up the polluted water, some of these rapidly multiplying organisms can be harvested to obtain oil.

There is even better news. According to Professor Roger Ruan, a research scientist of the University of Minnesota, oil-rich algae can produce more fuel than any other sources of biofuels. He estimates that an acre of algae can produce 15,000 gallons of oil a year. This is infinitely greater than the 20 gallons per year production of an acre of corn. But how much do people know about algae?

In many biology classes, the discussion of algae does not generate a lot of interest. Unlike other plants, algae do not have fascinating or complex parts, such as seeds, flowers, and stems. Thus, the discussion of algae normally ends up with a very simplified classification. That is, there are green algae, blue-green algae, red algae, and brown algae. But the fact that such tiny organisms are photosynthetic should give pause to anyone who is inclined to pass off algae as mere fodder for fishes. Algae have the power to harness solar energy and produce their own food. Algae can be a veritable source of energy.

Algae opened a new door to the country’s quest for energy independence. The number or researches about oil-rich algae has increased meteorically. The foci of most researches are to have more efficient extraction processes and to discover the algae strain that is richest in oil. As of now, scientists already know that oil extracted from algae can be transformed into biodiesel, biojetfuel, biomethane, and biobutanol.

This entry was posted on Saturday, June 27th, 2009 at 6:08 am and is filed under Algae Energy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.