Algae – the Solution to Climate Change & Energy Crisis?

[Karl]

AFP, 10 July 2008 –

As the world mulls over the conundrum of how to satisfy a seemingly endless appetite for energy and still slash greenhouse gas emissions, researchers have stumbled upon an unexpected hero: algae. So-called microalgae hold enormous potential when it comes to reining in both climate change, since they naturally absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide, as well as energy production, since they can easily be converted to a range of different fuel types.

"This is certainly one of the most promising and revolutionary leads in the fight against climate change and the quest to satisfy energy needs," Frederic Hauge, who heads up the Norwegian environmental group Bellona, told AFP. The idea is to divert exhaust spewed from carbon burning plants and other factories into so-called "photobioreactors", or large transparent tubes filled with algae. When the gas is mixed with water and injected into the tubes, the algae soak up much of the carbon dioxide, or CO2, in accordance with the principle of photosynthesis. The pioneering technique, called solar biofuels, is one of a panoply of novel methods aiming to crack the problem of providing energy but without the carbon pollution of costly fossil fuels -- with oil pushing 140 dollars a barrel and supplies dwindling -- or the waste and danger of nuclear power...

Read Full Article: World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)

Related: Algae from the Ocean: Sustainable Energy Source? - World of Renewables - The World's #1 Renewable Energy Site!

[ecofuse]

Originally Posted by Karl

AFP, 10 July 2008 –

As the world mulls over the conundrum of how to satisfy a seemingly endless appetite for energy and still slash greenhouse gas emissions, researchers have stumbled upon an unexpected hero: algae. So-called microalgae hold enormous potential when it comes to reining in both climate change, since they naturally absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide, as well as energy production, since they can easily be converted to a range of different fuel types.

"This is certainly one of the most promising and revolutionary leads in the fight against climate change and the quest to satisfy energy needs," Frederic Hauge, who heads up the Norwegian environmental group Bellona, told AFP. The idea is to divert exhaust spewed from carbon burning plants and other factories into so-called "photobioreactors", or large transparent tubes filled with algae. When the gas is mixed with water and injected into the tubes, the algae soak up much of the carbon dioxide, or CO2, in accordance with the principle of photosynthesis. The pioneering technique, called solar biofuels, is one of a panoply of novel methods aiming to crack the problem of providing energy but without the carbon pollution of costly fossil fuels -- with oil pushing 140 dollars a barrel and supplies dwindling -- or the waste and danger of nuclear power...

Read Full Article: World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)

Related: Algae from the Ocean: Sustainable Energy Source? - World of Renewables - The World's #1 Renewable Energy Site!

I heard a really interesting article about algae as an energy source on NPR some time ago. If my memory serves me right, it seems that the government (pentagon, I think) is aggressively funding research for this.

Anyway, it sounds great to me. Algae grows everywhere and no one will complain that we'll run out of it as a food source.

Nick
ecofuse / Published News

[Windguy]

If Algae is still too expensive to compete against coal, use it to offset CO2 from the coal by burying it. It starts up the algae industry before it becomes viable and we may find the rotting algae will produce a usable amount of methane energy which helps pay for the algae harvesting, whilst still adding carbon underground in a more safe state than compressed CO2 dry ice deep underground by injection.

When needed, we then only need to upgrade the industry slowly to help turn the algae into usable fuel sources.

[BestTimesNow]

This is a great video on algae, but it sounds too good to be true. But who knows? I hope this guy is right.


Valcent Algae Video

[Karl]

Originally Posted by ecofuse

I heard a really interesting article about algae as an energy source on NPR some time ago. If my memory serves me right, it seems that the government (pentagon, I think) is aggressively funding research for this.

Anyway, it sounds great to me. Algae grows everywhere and no one will complain that we'll run out of it as a food source.

Nick
ecofuse / Published News

Sounds a bit strange that the "pentagon" would be growing seaweed. Whether they are or not, there are (civilian) institutions in many other countries like India actively involved in the research on cultivation, and the extraction of oil, biodiesel, etc from marine algae.

[ecofuse]

Not sure they're growing it, just funding research for it. I also heard, on that same segment, that one of the military units completed a test flight with a fighter jet fueled completely on alternative fuels.

At any rate, I'm pretty excited about algae as a fuel source.