Algae: Can Pond Scum Power Our Future?

[WiseOne]

HONG KONG, China (CNN) -- Thirty years ago, the last time the world faced an oil crisis, the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) launched a program to analyze the potential algae had as a renewable fuel. It didn't take it long to realize algae was a godsend.

Actually being able to take advantage of it was another matter.

The program, run by the DoE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) lasted nearly two decades, but by 1996, it came to a close. Getting an algae biodiesel program running was deemed economically unfeasible when faced with the technology costs at the time versus the costs of using other fuels.

At that time, the price of oil was less than $20 a barrel.
With oil prices now looking like they won't drop below $100 a barrel for some time -- if ever -- and technology costs relatively lower than a decade ago, algae's time in the sun could finally have arrived.

Read More Here >> CNN

Check Out This Cool Video On Algae As Fuel!



WiseOne's Comments, this truly intrigues me. The fact that we could be using algae as fuel would be an AWESOME idea! I haven't been interested in other alternative fuels like Ethanol as it raises food prices or Hydrogen as it takes too much energy to make it. This bio-diesel has me fascinated at the possibilities and I think one idea we should really check out hard!

[bullhaulerswife]

National Geographic had a show on this topic. Its very cool how they do this. The process is fairly in expensive as well. I hope that someone take notice and begins making these plants to free us from the foreign oil.

I'm with you Wise, this one should be looked at real hard and considered as a viable alternative to drilling. Since the tree huggers are choking our own supply, we need to do something.

[WiseOne]

Originally Posted by bullhaulerswife

National Geographic had a show on this topic. Its very cool how they do this. The process is fairly in expensive as well. I hope that someone take notice and begins making these plants to free us from the foreign oil.

I'm with you Wise, this one should be looked at real hard and considered as a viable alternative to drilling. Since the tree huggers are choking our own supply, we need to do something.

Amen! I would seriously consider in investing in this and making my own plant as I think it has that much POTENTIAL! We have GOT to do something, that's all there is to it. Oil will not last forever, Algae will. They have even found hardy forms of algae in Antarctica! This intrigues me more than any other idea before this.