Algae. It’s not something we often really think about and yet algae are some of most important organisms on Earth. Ranging from massive seaweeds to microscopic organisms algae are water based plant life found across the globe ranging from the oceans to small ponds.
Like all plants they undergo a process called photosynthesis; where plants use energy from the Sun to synthesise sugars from carbon dioxide and water. This process not only produces the sugars and fats that go on to lay the foundation for the food chains for all living organisms but removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and introduces oxygen – which of course all living organisms need to for respiration.
Green algae produce more oxygen than all the other plant life in the world combined. Algae are what we call primary producers and create the biomass that powers the marine ecosystem. Algae are vitally important the to health of this planet – most of the life in waters of the world are dependent on this organisms. Recently scientists have discovered reason to be interested in algae – that is their increased use and potential as a biofuel.
As described earlier plants use the Sun’s energy to convert water and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into sugar and oxygen. When the crop is harvested these sugars can be converted into oil – which we can then burn producing useful energy – much like we do with fossil fuels.
Biofuels do not reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide levels because the carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere during photosynthesis is returned when the biofuels are burned. This makes the process what we call carbon neutral. Importantly however they remove the need to burn fossil fuels in the first place, so using biofuels over fossil fuels is better for the atmosphere.
Biofuels used in conjunction with carbon sequestration technology (where the carbon dioxide released when the fuels are burned is stored safely, unable to return to the atmosphere) could actively reduce global carbon dioxide concentrations.
Biofuels however are somewhat controversial. Biofuels such as palm oil are often grown in cleared forests – a process that destroys habitats leading to a reduction in biodiversity and has created serious threats to species like the Orangutan. The UN report “The Last Stand of the Orangutan: State of Emergency” reported that forests in Malaysia and Indonesia were being lost so rapidly that 98% could be gone by 2022. Other biofuel crops like soya or rape seed take up vast amounts of space and fresh water – a high cost considering many across the world still face the threat of starvation.
Algae offers some distinct advantages as a biofuel crop. Able to grow on saline water it can survive out at sea – critically not using up increasingly scarce fresh water resources. It can also grow on waste water found it treatment plants and actually contribute to the water treatment process, breaking down containments to make nutrients and grow.
However the largest benefit of algae as a biofuel is the high about of energy yield per unit area algae can supply. Energy stored in algae can be remarkably concentrated, estimates from the USA Department Of Energy (DOE) suggest that algae could produce up to thirty times more energy per acre than traditional biofuels. Exxon who once described biofuels as “moonshine” are to invest $600 million in creating liquid transportation fuels from algae.
Algae could provide a real boost to biofuel and green technology industries. Investment in this biofuel could drastically alter our dependency on fossil fuels and provide an alternative for current more controversial biofuel crops.
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