Algal Fuel One Step Closer To Becoming A Conventional Oil Alternative
A new milestone was reached recently in the race to make fuel from algae a conventional oil alternative: high-octane gasoline that is compatible with any gas-guzzling vehicle. The feat was performed by Sapphire Energy, a company that manufactures “green crude”. Sapphire uses single-cell algae to produce a chemical mixture that contains extractable fuel for cars and other transport vehicles. While the green crude is chemically identical to crude oil, it is completely carbon neutral.
The algal energy doesn’t require the use of agricultural land and water, and it deliver 10 to 100 times more energy per acre than crop-based biofuels. The company hopes that their green crude will ultimately be injected into normal crude pipelines.
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Fortunately for consumers, Sapphire isn’t the only company looking into “Oil 2.0“. Silicon Valley company LS9 is working on genetically modifiying single cell organisms to excrete carbon neutral oil. Like Sapphire’s green crude, the LS9 oil will also work in conventional vehicles.
Whether these efforts come to fruition as oil replacements remains to be seen—and it mostly hinges on questions of efficiency. But we should find out soon. Sapphire expects to start producing their green crude within 3 to 5 years.
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I think algae is probably the most feasible source for biofuel that I have come across. It certainly beats corn and sugar in not competing with food production. Hopefully it will also be a more ecologically sound crop as well, without taxing the topsoil and requiring large amounts of agricultural chemicals as other crops do. Though if algae is cultivated in massive amounts in natural bodies of water that could be problematic. The biggest sell is the efficiency I think. 10,000+ gallons per year from an acre, compared with 20-50 gallons for an acre of soy or corn (See “Algae Biodiesel - Fuel of the Future”).
and this would leave no carbon footprint? it wouldnt harm the environment ro accelerate global warming?
Since the algae are creating the fuel as a waste product it’s using CO2 to do that, equivalent to the CO2 that’s put back into the atmosphere when the fuel is burned. Sunlight is the energy source for the process, as in any plant.
There’s a fuller explanation on the Sapphire Energy site.
Not quite chemically identical. Crude oil contains a lot of things like sulphur and metals that you’d really rather not have in your fuel.
This process has the potential to grow basically perfect fuel.
-jcr
Hmmm, algae fuel, looks delicious!
JT
http://www.FireMe.To/udi
@J. Randolph: Actually, you don’t want sulfur in the exhaust, but the engine itself needs some of this kind of stuff in the fuel. Remember tetraethyl lead? That was good stuff as far as the engine was concerned. Older diesel engines don’t like this practically sulfur-free fuel of today. Engines also don’t like the removal of some trace metals from motor oil which has been done recently.
Modern oil and fuels are more scientific than you’d ever guess.
Is it carbon neutral? or at least close to carbon neutral? If not, its still gonna melt the caps the exact same levels, its just going to be ‘terror free’ pollution.
I think any alternative fuel is better than what we have now. I don’t think this will become the “perfect” fuel. But as long as we keep challenging the fuel we have today, it can only lead to better things.
zeeol:
“While the green crude is chemically identical to crude oil, it is completely carbon neutral.”
That’s from the FIRST paragraph. Try to RTFA next time so you don’t look like quite so much of an idiot? kthxbai
Very cool. Hard to believe something like this is possible but sounds like the best solution yet. With fossil fuel prices on the rise and the obvious effects to our natural habitat, I’m surprised so few people have taken an interest.