The population of the earth is ever growing and with it grows the need for power. Until now these needs have been met by the consumption of fossil fuels. The problem is that eventually the sources of these fuels will dry up leading to rising prices and shortages. Also an issue is the fact that the burning of these fuels is damaging to the environment and it seems likely that eventually this will lead to any number of natural disasters. Thankfully there are other options and algae biofuel may be the best of these.
Biofuels are made by the extraction of naturally occurring oils from plants. There are only a relatively few plants that contain the amounts and quality of oils necessary to make the process worthwhile. Until recently corn and palm nuts were seen as the best choices but now it seems that algae may out perform both of them.
Even among algae, not all are created equal when it comes to oil creation. There are hundreds of thousands of different types of algae growing any where there is sunlight and moisture. Of those tested so far it seems that pond scum contains the most high quality oil.
One major advantage to the choice of algae biofuel is how easy it would be to farm it. Unlike corn and palm nuts there is no need for huge tracts of land. No need for fertilizers or plowing. All these little plants need are water, sunlight and carbon dioxide all of which are easily available.
The common fuel sources in use today all have proven to be damaging to the environment. Not only does the burning of these spew huge amounts of carbon dioxide and other chemicals into the atmosphere but the means by which they are acquired can also destroy ecosystems. Widespread use of algae as a power source could resolve these issues in two ways. First the more algae being grown the more of it there is to filter carbon dioxide out of the air. Second, for every person or industry that chooses biodiesel there is one less using fossil fuel.
Obviously, algae biofuel will not resolve all of the world’s power supply ills. There is a great deal more work to be done before it is ready for use by the average consumer. Add to that the extraordinary cost of wide scale conversion of homes, vehicles and industry to biodiesel and it is easy to understand why it may be quite some time before a person can pull into a gas station and fill up with biofuel.
Of course, without extensive testing there are also the issues of safety and storage that have not yet been addressed. Until the public can be assured that using biodiesel is safe they will not want to use it. Also unclear is how long these fuels could be stored without degrading.
None of these possible issues with algae biofuel are impossible to overcome. In a world that may soon be fighting over the last few drops of oil it seems high time to kick the research into this and other biofuels into high gear. It would be wise for the human population to take this issue seriously before the scales tip and the damage done can not be fixed. Perhaps the often overlooked pond scum may be the answer.
Read more about Knowing The Possibilities Of Algae Biofuel by visiting our website.