Could algae be a better biofuel than current options such as corn, sugar cane, soy and rapeseed? When all the facts are presented, using algae as a renewable fuel source makes perfect sense; especially at a time when oil prices are higher than ever before. Check out some of these benefits:
1. Algae can be grown in ponds, marginal land, or in even in test tubes in a lab. This is good news with the current concern over using cropland to grow plants for biofuel.
2. The amount of oil that algae can produce is up to 60 percent of their weight. Present oilseeds used for biofuels can’t even come close to the same yield.
3. Algae has the ability to capture CO2, making it the only biofuel that cuts down on emissions in its production.
It is hard to believe that such a promising option for fuel is not already being produced on a large scale basis. The main reason is that there are a couple of drawbacks: algae has to be starved in order to produce large amounts of oil. When they are starved, however, they don’t grow as quickly and aren’t able to reproduce. Scientists still need to do more research to solve this problem, but they believe that with advances in biotechnology in the last few years, it is definitely a viable possibility.
With the US pushing to replace fossil fuels with renewable biofuels, and with all the benefits algae has to offer, there is much optimism that scientists will receive the funding they need to bring this amazing biofuel to the public. Imagine using a fuel that, during its production, doesn’t help pollute the planet. You can’t get much greener than that!
Source: http://www.oilgae.com/
