The Holy Grail of Biofuel?

Comment

Comment by AlternativeEnergy.com on November 26, 2007 at 1:10pm

Algae seems to be an amazing source of biofuels in the future. Key video points summarized:

• Algae is the fastest growing plant on the planet
• It produces a lot of vegetable oil ... as much as 50% of body weight.
• Bioreactors are vertically oriented to maximize exposure to light (as opposed to pond system which is horizontal)
• Algae needs exposure to light (light optimally permeates top 1 inch only)
• Bioreactors are closed system to prevent evaporation and contaminating algae infiltration
• Algae sequesters greatest amount of CO2
• Algae produces lipids (bascially vegetable oil)
• Acre of corn yields 18 gallons per acre per year
• Acre of palm yields 700 to 800 gallons per acre per year
• Acre of algae yields up to 20,000 gallons of oil per year (open pond - not bioreactor)
• 1/10th of New Mexico converted to algae could meet all US energy demands
• Strains of algae can be designated for jet fuel, diesel or others