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Forget Fuel, Algae Could Help Feed the World

Forbes -- Five years ago, algae was the “it” feedstock in the biofuel realm. The idea of taking an organism that feeds off of CO2 and using it to create fuel was as intoxicating to research scientists as it was to venture capitalists. Financing was available to fund the placement of extremely expensive photobioreactors next to power plants. Decades-old research from the National Renewable Energy Lab proved that some strains of algae could effectively be used to create high-grade fuels. Startup CEOs talked of being able to produce algae-based biofuels cheaply and at a large scale within the three to five years.

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Submitted May 07, 2012 By: eromitlab

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eric2theem Sophomore Author Riverside Posts:105 Points:30,155 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 8:17:49 PM Ignore eric2theem Report Abuse the first humans fed off of spirulina whats your point!
blazerbob91 Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:6,150 Points:1,884,645 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 8:15:54 PM Ignore blazerbob91 Report Abuse Make it happen.
suzmar Champion Author Texas Posts:2,212 Points:873,340 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 8:15:06 PM Ignore suzmar Report Abuse We need to quit trying to use sources of food for energy. We have plentiful natural gas and it is proven and cheap.
koikaze Veteran Author Sacramento Posts:397 Points:110,300 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 8:12:25 PM Ignore koikaze Report Abuse any new alternate fuel will do
serrog Champion Author Nova Scotia Posts:5,574 Points:1,514,080 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 8:10:38 PM Ignore serrog Report Abuse Ho Hum
TWS658 Champion Author Portland Posts:4,543 Points:950,875 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 8:10:22 PM Ignore TWS658 Report Abuse Ok.
CAD69 Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:3,211 Points:847,215 Joined:Nov 2010	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 8:09:19 PM Ignore CAD69 Report Abuse Whatever!
Hewy67 Sophomore Author Grand Rapids Posts:156 Points:443,545 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 8:05:05 PM Ignore Hewy67 Report Abuse soylent green
GassipperMN Rookie Author Minnesota Posts:2 Points:71,615 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 8:04:34 PM Ignore GassipperMN Report Abuse I think this process should focus on consuming waste and sequestering CO2, if a by-product of this is usable bio-fuel then even better.
us4usa Champion Author Missouri Posts:5,998 Points:1,114,340 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 8:02:08 PM Ignore us4usa Report Abuse So could corn but we burn it for fuel... Fishing for tax dollars???
tucker355 Champion Author Manitoba Posts:1,712 Points:440,690 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:56:44 PM Ignore tucker355 Report Abuse ok?
edlrph Veteran Author Ohio Posts:266 Points:71,420 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:55:54 PM Ignore edlrph Report Abuse algae wtf batman!
knot2swift Champion Author Calgary Posts:4,393 Points:698,930 Joined:Nov 2009	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:53:26 PM Ignore knot2swift Report Abuse Algae could cure us of the idiot obsession to rid the world of plant food (CO2) by making this simple plant grow a lot more. Starve a tree to feed pond scum. It's all good but how many billions to we spend on this scheme?
djgunrunner Champion Author Salt Lake City Posts:10,109 Points:2,350,555 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:52:09 PM Ignore djgunrunner Report Abuse While all the time and money is wasted on something that has a slim or little chance of working we are paying ultra high prices for gasoline. We are waiting on a dream that has a little chance of coming through. We could have used some of the money for infrastructure and converting gasoline vehicles to bi-fuel vehicles and the price of gas would have come down the pollutions would have come down and the BS would have come down. This is one of the dumb ideas that obama was throwing out for the replacement of gasoline. He did not consider the fact that it is a very long way out if it ever comes through and in the mean time we are getting gouged on the price of fuel. It just sounded good so he used it. Natural Gas support would have made a difference, just how big we will have to wait and see until obama quits blocking it or is gone.
n3tbc Veteran Author Wilmington Posts:355 Points:332,825 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:47:26 PM Ignore n3tbc Report Abuse It will be interesting to see due to the last article claiming the sheer expanse of land needed to grow enough algae in order to make it profitable would not be practical. As more more research is put into this topic the amount of land is decreasing and the yield is increasing. It will be interesting to see how far technology can take this.
abcdMA Champion Author Worcester Posts:7,932 Points:1,576,930 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:47:12 PM Ignore abcdMA Report Abuse how about crabgrass?
dong1971 All-Star Author Vancouver Posts:660 Points:219,515 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:46:05 PM Ignore dong1971 Report Abuse really?
DEG Champion Author Las Vegas Posts:17,630 Points:3,496,655 Joined:Jul 2003	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:42:09 PM Ignore DEG Report Abuse If algae can create fuel and other algae can create food; then why not do both?
Beaveronparade Champion Author Hartford Posts:2,108 Points:636,785 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:42:06 PM Ignore Beaveronparade Report Abuse Algae is said to be a great source of some nutrients. I actually take a supplement that contains "Blue Green Algae". It works great for me so you never know.
fuelsaverMN Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:2,282 Points:559,080 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:37:53 PM Ignore fuelsaverMN Report Abuse If it happens will it work.
speedys Champion Author Utah Posts:7,027 Points:2,560,835 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:32:11 PM Ignore speedys Report Abuse I just can't see it happening.
Ray_10589 Champion Author New York Posts:4,956 Points:1,184,935 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:28:04 PM Ignore Ray_10589 Report Abuse not keen on this idea ....
knutzAL Champion Author Alabama Posts:2,248 Points:372,680 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:25:50 PM Ignore knutzAL Report Abuse good for crap!
Tucker16 Champion Author Ottawa Posts:1,160 Points:544,750 Joined:Jul 2006	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:24:08 PM Ignore Tucker16 Report Abuse Who's gonna want to eat algae?
NemoIL Champion Author Illinois Posts:3,030 Points:1,314,195 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:23:49 PM Ignore NemoIL Report Abuse Perhaps we should call it soylent green.
ericbcire Champion Author Nevada Posts:4,530 Points:1,268,685 Joined:Aug 2009	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:23:12 PM Ignore ericbcire Report Abuse Don't use tax $$$.
vroomputtputt Veteran Author Oregon Posts:275 Points:62,785 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:21:46 PM Ignore vroomputtputt Report Abuse Sure
1Casey Champion Author Albany Posts:6,538 Points:1,793,685 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:19:20 PM Ignore 1Casey Report Abuse Keep moving forward with more research and development.
Eugenian Champion Author Oregon Posts:1,872 Points:364,080 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:17:31 PM Ignore Eugenian Report Abuse Looks promising.
gmcgas Champion Author Atlanta Posts:5,958 Points:1,715,170 Joined:Mar 2004	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:17:06 PM Ignore gmcgas Report Abuse when the government starts regulations, it won't be cheap.
itsjustme719 All-Star Author Hamilton Posts:612 Points:599,020 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:14:49 PM Ignore itsjustme719 Report Abuse Sounds good. But cheap renewable resources are needed.
jb107 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:9,559 Points:2,623,850 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:13:50 PM Ignore jb107 Report Abuse This is good. Remind me again when it happens.
Bonito Champion Author Dayton Posts:15,761 Points:3,008,870 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:13:23 PM Ignore Bonito Report Abuse SO WOULD CORN IF WE WOULD QUIT BURNING IT IN OUR GAS!
NotmeuQc Champion Author Montreal Posts:5,651 Points:1,134,800 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:09:32 PM Ignore NotmeuQc Report Abuse Keep up the good work. Great for fuel, but I'm not sure I would not want to eat it, but then...............
IUVidiot Champion Author Indiana Posts:3,595 Points:710,410 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:09:22 PM Ignore IUVidiot Report Abuse ok
iamforiu Champion Author Indiana Posts:3,580 Points:712,715 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:06:30 PM Ignore iamforiu Report Abuse hummmm
windows7isfast Champion Author Winnipeg Posts:2,419 Points:493,200 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:06:03 PM Ignore windows7isfast Report Abuse wow
Nguyenvan Rookie Author San Diego Posts:27 Points:27,075 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 7:02:51 PM Ignore Nguyenvan Report Abuse true
lone Rookie Author Arizona Posts:13 Points:530,360 Joined:Feb 2003	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 6:59:01 PM Ignore lone Report Abuse "Soylent Green" ... anyone ?
my2002m Champion Author Tulsa Posts:6,084 Points:1,671,500 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 6:57:04 PM Ignore my2002m Report Abuse Another lab experiment.
paulydel Champion Author Delaware Posts:8,799 Points:848,800 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 6:56:52 PM Ignore paulydel Report Abuse Anyone for an algae salad?
OKRifle Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:10,411 Points:1,811,260 Joined:Oct 2007	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 6:49:25 PM Ignore OKRifle Report Abuse If it is true, then get to it!
cisson All-Star Author Kentucky Posts:516 Points:383,610 Joined:Jul 2010	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 6:47:53 PM Ignore cisson Report Abuse agree
GoGoGoodyear Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:2,055 Points:508,975 Joined:Mar 2010	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 6:45:59 PM Ignore GoGoGoodyear Report Abuse The article right next to this one on Forbes, titled "The Achilles' Heel Of Algal Biofuels: Peak Phosphate" describes a different scenario, where the world's problem is that we don't have enough phosphate mined out of the ground to both grow food crops and grow algae for either food or fuel. Phosphate is used to make fertilizer, and the article claims the world will reach "peak phosphate" in about 18 years or around 2030 if consumption continues as expected.
97beater Sophomore Author Madison Posts:249 Points:291,055 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 6:44:49 PM Ignore 97beater Report Abuse cool
LCSTEELERBOB Champion Author Gary Posts:2,961 Points:720,130 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 6:44:21 PM Ignore LCSTEELERBOB Report Abuse food and gas both good ideas
bvrbill Champion Author Eugene Posts:3,229 Points:519,825 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 6:43:16 PM Ignore bvrbill Report Abuse This technology sounds more promising than solar.
aggietim Champion Author Fort Worth Posts:1,756 Points:694,825 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 6:42:44 PM Ignore aggietim Report Abuse ok
herbiepopnecker Champion Author British Columbia Posts:13,611 Points:2,508,280 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 6:38:52 PM Ignore herbiepopnecker Report Abuse Isn't my Big Mac already made from that? Tastes like it....
iceman11 Champion Author Ontario Posts:2,715 Points:536,425 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 6:33:47 PM Ignore iceman11 Report Abuse Great
jdc17327 Champion Author Pennsylvania Posts:2,560 Points:198,015 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 6:33:32 PM Ignore jdc17327 Report Abuse okay...whatever works the best...there should be enough of that stuff for everything...I have met a lot of slimy FUNGI!!!
whaboush Champion Author Richmond Posts:1,233 Points:732,160 Joined:Nov 2010	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 6:31:43 PM Ignore whaboush Report Abuse Yeah - we've heard this...