http://news.com.com/Want+alternative...?tag=nefd.lede

Now if only someone with millions of dollars would recognize that they could become filthy rich by investing in this and invest in it.

 

This is GREAT!

I have this 18' x 36', in ground pool. At the end of May, I take off the cover and over the summer dump in huge amounts of chlorine to keep the algae at bay and make it 'swimmable.' But now I can just tell the wife,"I'm making fuel for our cars!"

Yeap, instead of chlorine, I'll just add some fertilizer and let the Alabama sunshine do the rest:

1. So where do I get the algae 'fuel filter?'
2. What sort of processing do I need to do to make fuel?
3. Can the rest be composted for methane?
4. Any 'odour' problems?
5. Does it need 'air bubbles' to improve C0(2) capture?

Yeap, I can see the conversation now:. . .

Bob Wilson

 

A few years ago, I read about a company in Spain that successfully made biodiesel out of algae, but I did not pay much attention to it, as they said that the technology was not ready for use on a large scale. If you do enough research on the internet, you will probably find out how it is done. Keep in mind that you will probably have to order extremely expensive enzymes from companies in California (either that or order extremely expensive equipment and chemicals from companies in California/Germany to produce your own) and create a device that will maximize the enzymes' effect on the algae (as I doubt it will be as simple as pouring the enzymes into the pool).

 

That changes things...So its going to take a lot of time and money...I'll wait and see if it goes more mainstream. I can see the commercial now, "Buy your biodiesel algae kit today! Only 5 easy payments of $19.99, but wait! There's more! Order now and get an extra set of enzymes! Call now because supplies are limited!"

 

If a startup company made a large enough investment, they should be able to produce biodiesel on a scale that would make the price lower than regular diesel, but I would imagine that they would have to harvest the algae by sucking it out of a pool, putting it into a buffer solution with reagents such as soap to break down its cell membranes, centrifuging it, suspending and isolating the desired chemicals, and then applying the appropriate enzymes, which could probably be produced inhouse to save costs.

As a student who had an internship at a biotechnology laboratory, I can tell you that all of the equipment necessary to do that will be very expensive, especially on such a large scale.

 

OK, Ok, ok . . .

Could we harvest the algae, add a little yeast and sugar, ferment and distill it?
Bob Wilson

ps. In the 1960s, NASA and Redstone Arsenal were centers for rocket engine development. One of the interesting side effects was the amounts of stainless steel and aerospace aluminum pipes and tubing that would go on surplus sale. Sure enough, the local moonshiners found this scrap at the right price and I understand we had some flight ready stills in the local hills.

 

Too many people think that the 'algae based biodiesel' is a joke ... but the reality is that it is probably one of the most realistic plans around. Consider the 'claims' above ... or even a fraction of the production ... and an industry built around such an idea. With huge segments of sunny desert available for an entire new job production industry it is realistic to envision shallow, mechanically harvested salt ponds in our desert southwest producing a carbon neutral algae based fuel. This biodiesel could contribute significantly to reducing our petroleum use and power everything from hybrid cars to locomotives. Eventually this method of capturing the suns energy would be an excellent way to store transportable energy; it can be used in today's technology in variety of equipment including the diesel and turbine engines.

For a good read on this, download an aging PDF article here.

 

Hi,

Talking about realistic, have you bought fuel at any of the bio-distributors:

Energy PLUS 24 - Ag One Co-op
110 S. Main St.
Brookville, IN 47012

Just curious about what sort of bio infrastructure exists in your neck of the woods.

Bob Wilson

 

Bob ...

Biodiesel isn't all that common in Ohio, but it is available for those of us running it. (see link) I run B99.5 in the summer which is available through my local farm coop but switch to the more common B20 in the winter. Here in Cincinnati we are fortunate to have one of the premiere producers in Peter Cremer ... BQ9000 certified. Cincinnati and Columbus buses ran the highest blends in the nation this past year ... in part because its a clean, renewable fuel and part because the dollars spent support the US economy from seed, to farm, to producer, to blender/distributor, to public transport vehicle.

Still, the petroleum lobby is a tough nut to crack ... as is getting vehicle manufacturers online in approving biodiesel in higher percentages. Folks are coming around since even the petroleum companies are nibbling at getting involved in the biodiesel industry. (for the tax credit currently available no doubt) Currently the feedstock in the US is soybean which benefits farmers and the agriculture industry ... but an algae based biodiesel would make far more sense IMHO.

 

Why the price differential? It looks like they add $.02/gal regardless of the percentage of bio-content.

Is anything being done with waste cooking oil?

As for algae farming, I have no problem with that but would observe that it competes with other forms of aqua farming. Still the largest aquatic creatures, whales and whale sharks, are plankton feeders.

Bob Wilson