There are more than 65000 species of algae out there in lakes, rivers, and oceans. Some day, they will literally power up the world. Learn how.
There are some tiny organisms that live out there in oceans, lakes, and rivers that could some day be extensively used for energy production. They are collectively called Algae and there are more than 65000 species of them.
Why Algae Could Be Used as a Source of Renewable Energy?
Algae are living organisms. They use carbon dioxide from the environment and the energy from the sun to live. They produce numerous compounds: proteins, carbohydrates, and oils. Algae can be up to 50% (by weight) of oil. If this oil is taking out from algae and processed accordingly, biodiesel could be manufactured and used in cars, trucks, and planes. Not only that, but algae are one of the fastest growing plants on earth (algae grows 10 times faster than sugar cane).
Researchers at the Center for Biorefining of the University of Minnesota have estimated that algae can produce 5,000 gallons of oil per acre, 277 more times that corn, 104 times more than soybean, and 8 times more than palm trees (on a per acre basis) . Algae could be grown in marginal lands where there is no possibility to grow any other commodity. Furthermore, algae could be also cultivated in closed bioreactors increasing many times its yield. Valcent Products, a texas-based company, currently grows algae for oil production in a closed, vertical system, in long rows of moving plastic bags.
Algae as a Source of Hydrogen: Another Source of Renewable Energy.
According to a study, titled: “Hydrogen Production.: Green Algae as a Source of Energy,” published in the journal Plant Physiology, has shown that significant amounts of H2 can be generated by using a single-organism, two-step photosynthesis procedure in which Hydrogen is produced essentially from water and sunlight.
In their study, Melis et al (2001) has calculated how much H2 could be effectively generated from growing algae under anaerobic (no oxygen) conditions. According to their optimistic calculations and under their assumptions, they believe that 20g of pure H2 could be generated per square meter of culture area and per day. However, hurdles do exist to make this process commercially available but the study is optimistic about the possibility to implement it, if market conditions are favourable for renewable energy
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