It is already 30 years since research suggested that algae could be changed into diesel. It was a very odd idea at that time. In July 2009, ExxonMobile injected a sum of $600 million to enable better conversion of algae into fuel. Biologist from Craig Venter’s Synthetic Genomics will be responsible for introducing algae into the market.
Many other small companies are competing on the ground of creating algae-derived diesel fuel. To mention a few we have Solix Biofuels and Aurora Biofuels, which have already established pilot plants that are deriving diesel from algae. Apparently, ExxonMobil is assuring that algae are going into real action.
According to estimates if soybeans crops are used to produce bio-diesel then an acre per year can produce from 50 to 150 gallons of fuel. However, in close to Durango, Colorado Solix’s facility is making as much as 2000 gallons on the same scale. The key to the efficiency is the modified photo-bioreactor, which enables algae to make use of more sun energy.
Once the algae have been harvested, the oils extracts are constantly refined until it becomes a usable bio-diesel. However, apart from using only sun energy to produce algae some greenhouse gas is diffused from the nearby power plants as electricity is needed.
Moreover, Bryan Willson, a Colorado State University engineer and cofounder of Solix Biofuels says that he proclaims that it sounds crazy. However, it will very soon become as cost-effective as petroleum diesel.
It is possible that within 5 years algae will be produced at large-scale. It is likely going to be steady solution to the global oil crisis.
Source: Discover Magazine
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