It should not be surprising that with every new technological advancement, there are always certain negative drawbacks. Cars pollute the atmosphere; the Internet has altered human brain function; electricity alters our environment, etc. In order for such large advancements to be made, their advantages must outweigh their disadvantages. Well algae are no different. In order to make algae a real, viable option for fuel in the future, the skeptics will have to be put at bay—well most of them anyways. Their concerns about costs and environmental issues will have to be dealt with head-on and alga must prove to them that it is a real contender.
Some of these concerns are already being addressed. One aspects of algae growth under fire is its dependence on carbon dioxide. Large amounts of algae require large, concentrated amounts of C02. The solution to this demand is to place algae growing plants near waste treatment facilities. By doing this, we could also use the wastewater to water and fertilize the algae; these two aspects are also concerns of those in opposition to algal power. But, if it is unreasonable to place the algae plants near wastewater plants, the good news is that algae can grow well just about anywhere. From desert to tundra, algae can thrive if they receive appropriate amounts of sunlight, water, and CO2. Furthermore, algae wastes can be composted to make fertilizer for itself, making the whole process quite “green.”
Lastly, skeptics question the economic repercussions algae may have. While these concerns cannot be fully addressed yet, as no one knows the future or direction of our economy, we can only review the facts regarding the processes and the usefulness of alternative biofuel. We can only imagine how our economy will look when the time comes for fossil fuels to step down as the leading supplier of fuel in our nation.
