Researchers in America are claiming to have found a “realistic” fuel alternative in pond algae.
An increasing number of scientists are involved in the development of algae as a commercial fuel alterative and according to a team at Florida International University, algae-derived biofuel will be available sooner than expected.
“I think it’s very realistic. I don’t think it’s going to take 20 years. It’s going to take a few years,” said chemical engineer George Philippidis, director of applied research at Florida International University.
He added: “We could hook up to the exhaust of polluting industries. We could capture it and feed it to algae and prevent that CO2 from contributing to further climate change.”
How long before cars are powered by algae biofuel?
Fuels derived from algae have the potential to provide a plentiful and entirely sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. The question looming over algae-derived biofuel is whether its production can be scaled up to be both environmentally benign and commercially viable.
A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said: “Algaculture can rely on sea water and waste water and produces a final product that is biodegradable but as with all fuels, it is vital that the true environmental impact is calculated with great care.”
“With regards to a fuel of this kind competing with petrol and diesel, if we tax the producers of carbon dioxide and other climate change gases, changes will incredibly quickly. Biofuel from algae could be a false dawn but in the meantime if we tax what we know to be bad, then good will flow from the results.”
0 Comments View now