Fuel Alternatives

Sometimes, the best things come in small packages.

This is apparently the case in biofuel production, where researchers are excited about the potential of algaculture, which is the farming of single-celled photosynthetic algae, or phytoplankton, to replace dependence on foreign fossil fuels.

One of the most fertile fields being sown in the challenging race to provide a one-size-fits all solution to the energy crisis, algae cultivation shows tremendous promise when compared to more complex vegetation.

Estimates indicate that some species of algae may yield as much as 30,000 gallons per acre of biodiesel, a figure which impresses even the skeptics who dispute it, claiming that 800 gallons/acre is more realistic. Even conservative estimates indicate that algae is very likely to be the feedstock of choice for biofuel manufacture in the near future.

Several characteristics combine to give a clear lead to algae. The rate of growth far outstrips that of macroflora crops like soybean and corn, because there is no specialization of parts or development of infrastructure. Each cell is a self-contained organism, independently producing fats and sugars from the energy of the Sun and water in holding tanks. Wastewater, which would otherwise require costly treatment, can be converted into energy by several species of microflora.

Additionally, algae can be grown in vats or on marginal lands, and some species can be cultivated in seawater, which could be vital for large-scale production. In fact, some inventive high-school students have successfully distilled biodiesel from seawater as part of a science project. The US Department of Energy has reported that, based on preliminary results, the fuel needs of that nation could be met by devoting an area one-seventh of that currently employed for agricultural purposes to producing micro-algae for fuel.

Most of the focus on fuel from algae has centered on the potential for biodiesel, but in truth, a variety of different formulations are possible, including bioethanol, biobutanol, and biogasoline, which is a hydrocarbon very similar chemically to the petrochemical variety. The latter two can be added to conventional gasoline engines without any modifications to the vehicle whatsoever, while bioethanol can be mixed into blends at a concentration of up to 85% or used in engines modified for that purpose.