Can We Save the Algae Biofuel Industry?

Algal biofuels are in trouble.
Can We Save the Algae Biofuel Industry?
Sunlight from a solar collector on the roof of Utah State University's Energy Laboratory in Logan, Utah, is sent through fiber optics to stimulate the growth of algae on June 11, 2009. USU was among several institutions to receive grant money from the U.S. Department of Defense to research ways to convert algae into biofuels for military jets. Utah State is examining about 300 algae species, including some from the Great Salt Lake in search of one that grows fast and produces plenty of fatty oils. AP Photo/Colin Braley
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Algal biofuels are in trouble. This alternative fuel source could help reduce overall carbon emissions without taking land from food production, like many crop-based biofuels do. But several major companies including Shell and ExxonMobil are seemingly abandoning their investments in this environmentally friendly fuel. So why has this promising technology failed to deliver, and what could be done to save it?

Algae are photosynthetic organisms related to plants that grow in water and produce energy from carbon dioxide and sunlight. Single-celled microalgae can be used to produce large amounts of fat, which can be converted into biodiesel, the most common form of biofuel. There are many possible ingredients for making biofuels, from corn to used cooking oil. But algae are particularly interesting because they can be grown rapidly and produce large amounts of fuel relative to the resources used to grow them (high productivity).

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Christian Ridley
Christian Ridley
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