Green | October 09, 2008 | 3 comments

Growing algae for biofuel

source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7661975.stm

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TrikyNiki
"It's actually like growing tomatoes; the algae need similar things," he says.

This crop uses the warmth, light and a steady feed of carbon dioxide and nutrients to reproduce faster than any other plant on earth.

The amount of algae in these tubes can double daily. And that is both the attraction and the problem with algae as a commercial crop.

What Algae-Link's system claims to crack, possibly for the first time, is the problem of clogging. A patented internal cleaning system keeps the set-up harvesting twenty-four hours a day.

Once the cells of the algae are split into their constituent parts (an established science with all biofuel crops but a more secretive part of the process in this case), the green mass can be sold as feed for fish and oyster farms and the vegetable oil can be processed into engine fuel.

What will be crucial is to produce the raw material in sufficient quantities. Cynics are saying a land mass anything up to the size of Ireland would have to be devoted to algae production to fuel the world's civil aviation industry.

But that may not be out of the question. With algae cultivation in tubes, farming is feasible on otherwise unusable land; there are already projects up and running in the Gobi desert of northern China.

MUCH MORE IN LINK.

Nuclear power plants could of helped us 10 years ago, There is so many promising biofuel technology out right now, its time for America to step up.
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3 comments // Growing algae for biofuel

  • idealist
  • Leaora
    • 0
      Leaora  

    • I always wondered if it was possible to use kudzu for biofuel. I mean, the stuff is everywhere and impossible to kill...

    • 3 years ago
  • Commentor
    • 0
      Commentor  

    • check out some of the other links to similar processes.

      BTW ... sending flue gases into the algea is a great way to clean up the polutants from burning other fuels.

      This makes the algea cultivation a by-product of cleaning the air and reducing co2 emissions - since in many places this is a requirement the money that would otherwise be spent on cleaning the flue gases could help to offset the cost.

      With the right kind of algea bio-diesel and protien could be extracted.

      using hot flue gases and the solar thermal energy it seems like there could be a way to capture the thermal part as well ...
      ... using light pipes may be another alternative so many tubes can be stacked in a whearhouse configuration ...

      Light is collected and sent down a light pipe that is in the center of the algea tubes..

      Ok I'm rambling but it seems like a good idea wonder if the sugar/oil production of the algea is as good as tobacco or sugar cane

    • 3 years ago
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