After 30 Years Algae-To-Fuel Finally Gets The Green Light

Within just two years, Americans could be filling their cars with clean-burning biodiesel made from algae.

That’s the ambitious assessment of Harrison Dillon, co-founder of synthetic biology company Solazyme, who believes the transition could move even faster if oil prices continue to climb north of $100 a barrel.

Solazyme is one of the leaders in the rapidly blooming algae-oil industry, and has recently entered talks with Chevron about distributing its fuel, Soladiesel. Other front-runners include Shell, working with HR Biopetroleum, Global Green Solutions, Valcent Products and International Energy. However, all owe a debt to a 30-year-old research project.

The $25 million Aquatic Species Program was set up in 1978 by the Carter Administration to investigate high-oil types of algae that could be grown for biodiesel. The project, run by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, found algae farms producing the plants in shallow ponds could supply enough biodiesel to completely replace fossil oil for transportation and home heating.



Read Article

w209w114 - 3/31/2008 1:48:51 PM

+2 Boost

Sounds great. There will be a pond at every gas station lol :)

Agent009 - 3/31/2008 2:14:38 PM

+2 Boost

Think of the vast amounts of desert that could be used near the coastlines or envision a seawater pipeline to a similar area?

The biggest boon would be the food supply would be relatively unaffected. This should have been funded WAY before anyone thought of corn.

Homer008 - 3/31/2008 2:51:31 PM

+1 Boost

won't work..Just like the recent discovery of all the negative sideeffect ethnol posibility from the sugarcane had. the sugarcane produced ethenol were destroying more lands and causing much problems we never had before the ethonol ruckus it had going for alittle while..This will also be doomed failure.

Agent009 - 3/31/2008 3:56:40 PM

+1 Boost

And what land does algae grow on? These farms could be specific to algae production and could use land that had little use otherwise.

Basically grown in hospitable environments, thus keep farm land for farming.

I do think basing fuel on a food based product is very short sighted.

MeanVulcan - 4/1/2008 12:08:31 PM

+1 Boost

Great News! what best than to reduce a key component in the chain of life. What's next? cutting down the tropical forests to process oil out of palm trees?

Biofuels simply reduce the amount of exhaust gases while increasing carbon monoxide during production. Overall, they pollute almost as much as gasoline.

sold2early - 4/1/2008 12:50:27 PM

+1 Boost

I'll buy it only if they use cage-free algae.

Bored - 4/1/2008 8:21:50 PM

+1 Boost

DON'T SELL THIS TO CHEVRON!!!!

gregsfc - 4/5/2008 8:12:09 AM

+1 Boost

All the naysayer should read up on the potential of algae before putting in two cents. Although there are challenges making algae economically viable and there are challenges maintaining high, oil-yielding species in open ponds, algae does not compete with food crops and can be grown in nearly any climate, and algae may produce as much as 20,000 gallons per acre. For comparison, soy bean produces around 50 gallons per acre. Additionally, algae can be used to make biodiesel, which has a net energy balance of 3.5 units of output to every unit of fossil-fuel energy input. Petroleum-based diesel fuel, by comparison, produces around .83 units of output per unit of fossil-fuel energy input (source NREL) and biodiesel reduce fuel economy by no more than 7% as compared to regular diesel fuel in its neat form (B100--source: Cummins Corporation).

gregsfc - 4/5/2008 8:14:06 AM

+1 Boost

One U.S. company states that they will begin algae oil production this month (April) and they will produce about 5,000-8,000 gallons per acre in open ponds. They already have contracts with biodiesel plants.