Algae power

Current plans to greatly expand research into new energy sources include a variety of alternative hydrocarbon replacements. Some of these are very unique and a recent issue of The Scientist describes the potential for using lipid-forming algae as a future source of fuel.

Featuring the Cargill evaporation ponds in the southern horn of San Francisco Bay, the article stresses that ponds such a these hold great promise for the future, because the microalgae the can grow may be used to produce a significant supply of energy.

The concept is not new, having been around for at least 30 years or more. In fact, I was fortunate enough to carry out a microalgae project in Lake Chad on the western edge of the Sahara Desert in the late 80s. In that particular case, the indigenous algae we used were of a particular genus, Botryococcus, which contained over 90% of its weight in hydrocarbons. In those days, however, the price of oil was highly volatile ad beginning to drop. As a result, it took the incentive out of further commercialization of this resource.

It's great to see that some of this work will finally start bearing fruit.