We are mostly all aware that algae biofuel is a real alternative to fossil fuels. But, the question is: how do we actually move from idea to reality? How do we utilize the knowledge and technology that we have (and that we don’t yet have) and turn algae in fuel for cars? Solix Biofuels has been investigating these questions along with many others with regards to refining the processes needed to advance algal fuel beyond its infantile stages.
Although algae seem to be plants, they are in fact classified in the kingdom Protista. What does that mean exactly? Algae are similar to plants in that they use photosynthesis to synthesis food. They use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make sugars in order to live and reproduce (these sugars can be fermented into ethanol). However, they differ from plants mainly because they are single celled and do not have cells specifically for reproduction; rather, they make tiny spores that replicate the parent cell.
Now that the biology of algae has been taken care of, we can further understand the workings of scientists to advance algae usage. The algae are grown in photobioreactors, which are triangular or cylindrical structures made of thin strips of plastic-like material. This allows the regulation of gas content and temperature to create the most favorable growing conditions. According to Popular Mechanics, algae can double their mass overnight, allowing daily harvests rather than monthly or annually harvests required for all other biofuels today. Approximately fifty percent of alga’s weight is oil, which is used to make the biofuels. This means that in theory, algae can produce 10000 gallons of oil per acre per year compared to the 650 gallons per acre per year of its nearest competitor, the oil-palm tree. As put by Solix CEO, Douglas Henston if we replace all the diesel fuel we use in the US with “an algae derivative,” we could do it on one half of one percent of our farmland.
Such powerful information cannot be taken lightly. I believe that we are truly on the brink of drastically altering our means energy production and consumption. It is obvious that alga is a realistic option for alternative energy. But, is it true that things that appear to be too good to be true usually are?
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/biofuel/4213775 and http://www.naturegrid.org.uk/biodiversity/plants/crypalga.html#feed were used as sources in this post.
