Algae In Your Gas Tank?
BY MEDIA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE
Scientists have started looking to algae covered ponds as a possible source of biofuels to combat high fuel prices.
Utah State University researchers began a program last year that takes oil from the algae and converts it into biodiesel. The university hopes to produce cost-effective biofuels by 2009.
The algae needed to create the biofuel can produce as much as 10,000 gallons of oil per acre and can be grown just about anywhere.
Dr. Jim Frederick, professor of crop physiology at Clemson University’s Pee Dee Research and Education Center in Florence, said Clemson has a similar project in the works, but it’s not up and running yet.
“We’re developing an ethanol research plant down in North Charleston,” he said. “That’s one thing we’ll be working on there.”
Frederick said the project will use the production of ethanol, which produces carbon dioxide needed to form the algae, to create algae and the production of algae to create ethanol, creating a continuous circle of production.
“It’s in its infancy stage,” he said. “It’s a nice unique concept, finding a use for the carbon dioxide to make more ethanol.”
Frederick said scientists are scrambling to find the best material from which to make ethanol.
“Anything that is living, people are starting to consider to use for biofuels,” he said.
But, Frederick said, making biofuels from algae works differently than with other sources.
“Algae is a little bit different,” he said. “Some algae makes a lot of oil. Those are the ones used to make biodiesel. There are other types of algae, which make a lot of sugar, and those are used for potentially making ethanol.”
Dr. Joe Flaherty, biology professor in the science and mathematics department at Coker College, said the idea of using algae for fuel has been around for much longer than many people realize.
“This is really not something new,” he said. “The idea came about around 50 years ago. The federal government funded research on it for 18 years. They invested about $25 million in researching it.”
Flaherty said the government’s research was productive, but when the price of a barrel of oil was only $20, ethanol just wasn’t a competitive option.
“But now that oil is more expensive, there is renewed interest in using it to produce biofuels,” he said.
Flaherty said the type of algae used to create biofuels is typically micro algae, which is commonly known as pond scum.
“They’re very abundant,” he said. “They can be grown up pretty much anywhere you can have a containment. That’s what makes this option a little more attractive.”
But he said not to get too excited yet because there still are limitations.
“Right now, it’s still not cost-effective to harvest enough oil from algae,” Flaherty said.
