Algae Power

[ergo sum]

There is a company in Colorado doing research into turning algae into biofuel. The basic idea is to grow the algae in clear tubes in sunlight and to pump the carbon emissions of say a coal plant into the water. In theory that would reduce the co2 and create a biofuel out of the process. Part of the rationale behind this idea is that bio fuels are now putting pressure on food prices, corn, soy etc. And that if those products continue to be the basis of fuel products the demand for them will be a problem.

Anyway I don’t know if I got that all straight but I was wondering if people thought it would work?

 

[fishcatch22]

perhaps. global warming is growing to an almost irrevesable size, we must find ways to reduce pollution or we could incur another mass extinction on this planet.

 

[jm1212]

that would be cool, making a biofuel out of algea.

we've all got plenty of it and us fishkeepers know it NEVER STOPS growing; so its not like it would be more expensive than gas.

 

[Malefic23]

I think the biofuels are going to stop impacting food crops when you begin to get specific fuel crops going. Highest yield per acre fuel crops, grown without the normal food specific restrictions, but with soil care practices will easily bring enough crops to market without cutting into grain or bean fields. Who cares if the field you grow fuel in is contaminated or fertilized with human sewage? Does it matter if a fuel crop is grown in an area where pesticides or chemical contaminates were leeched into the soil?

As this becomes apparent, normally unusable land will again have value as fuel crop acreage, and the cost of producing fuel crops will be lower than producing food crops. Might even invest now in areas that used to produce food, but are unsuitable due to pollution/contamination. New Jersey leaps to mind...

Also, you'll be creating a market where certain crops are not suitable for human or animal consumption. This will help to level the market, because no matter what food crops are going for at that time of year, that produce HAS to be used in bio fuels. It'll become more of a seperate niche market, rather than all one open market, where purchase prices in the broader field controll where supply winds up. Just my 2 cents.

 

[fishcatch22]

I think the biofuels are going to stop impacting food crops when you begin to get specific fuel crops going. Highest yield per acre fuel crops, grown without the normal food specific restrictions, but with soil care practices will easily bring enough crops to market without cutting into grain or bean fields. Who cares if the field you grow fuel in is contaminated or fertilized with human sewage? Does it matter if a fuel crop is grown in an area where pesticides or chemical contaminates were leeched into the soil?

As this becomes apparent, normally unusable land will again have value as fuel crop acreage, and the cost of producing fuel crops will be lower than producing food crops. Might even invest now in areas that used to produce food, but are unsuitable due to pollution/contamination. New Jersey leaps to mind...

Also, you'll be creating a market where certain crops are not suitable for human or animal consumption. This will help to level the market, because no matter what food crops are going for at that time of year, that produce HAS to be used in bio fuels. It'll become more of a seperate niche market, rather than all one open market, where purchase prices in the broader field controll where supply winds up. Just my 2 cents.

and a very good 2 cents, my wise friend.