We all need fuel to get around. And as America
takes steps to improve our energy security,
homegrown fuel sources are more important
than ever.
The Energy Department is researching one of
the fuel sources of the future found here:
in algae. Have a look at this algae farm.
These large, man-made ponds are called raceways,
and they cultivate a new crop of algae every
few weeks.
You see, algae, or more correctly, microalgae,
are very small aquatic organisms that convert
sunlight into energy. Some of these algae
store energy in the form of natural oils.
Under the right conditions, algae can make
a lot of oil that can be converted into biofuels.
Algae could potentially produce up to 60 times
more oil per acre than land-based plants.
Extract that oil, and you have the raw materials
to make fuel for cars, trucks, trains, and
planes. In the future, anything that runs
on gasoline and diesel could also use biofuel
from algae.
The oil is extracted by breaking down the
cell structure of the algae.
This can be done by using solvents, or sound
waves.
After the oil is extracted, then it is further
processed at an integrated biorefinery
or, in the future, at a traditional oil refinery.
Another great benefit of algae? Consider
this: like plants, algae needs carbon dioxide
to grow and that's good for the environment,
since it takes CO2 out of the atmosphere,
making it a nearly carbon-neutral fuel source.
There may even be opportunities to build algae
farms next to power plants that use fossil
fuels actually using CO2 exhaust to feed
algae ponds.
There are over 100,000 different strains of
algae. Some grow better in different climates,
or in freshwater, saltwater, or even wastewater.
So, scientists are testing different algae
under many different conditions to find the
best strains and develop the most efficient
farming practices.
While commercial production is still a ways
off, algae holds great promise to become a
reliable, homegrown fuel source to reduce
our nation's reliance on foreign oil.
