Cultivating Algaefor Liquid Fuel ProductionThomas F. Riesing, Ph.D.Learn more aboutAlgae and the other four kingdoms inZERIworkshops this summer in Durango, CO;San Francisco;Pou ghkeepsie, NY; and Seattle. Click here for more information. WI TH THE INCREA SING INTEREST in bi odiesel as an alt er nat ive to pe tr od iesel, ma ny have looked at the po ss ibi lit y o f gro win g mo re oi lse ed cro ps as a sol uti on to the problem of peak oil. There are two problems with this approach: first, growing more oilseed cr ops would di spl ace the food crops grown t o fe ed mankind . Seco nd, t radit ional oilseed crops are not the most productive or efficient source of vegetable oil. Micro-algae is, by a factorof 8 to 25 f or palm oil. and a factor of 40 to 120 for r apeseed, the highest po tential energy yield temperate vegetable oil crop. Michael Briggs at the Univ. of N. Hampshire Biodiesel group estimates that using open. outdoor, racetrack ponds, only 15,000 square miles could produce enough algae to meet all of the USA's ground transportation needs. Transportation accoun ts for67% of US oil consumption according to t heAtlantic Monthly, July/August 2005. We'll say more about the 15,000 square mile number below. Ifall of this land were in one rectangular piece, it would be 120 miles by 125 miles²about 1/7th of the area of the state of Co lorado. Gallons of Oil per Acre per YearCorn18Soybeans 48Safflower83Sunflower 102Rapeseed 127Oil Palm635Micro Algae5000-15000In this article we will first look at some of the publicly available research that has been done on the use of algae as a source for biodiesel. We will then examine some current projects that are using or trying to use algae to produce biodiesel. Finally , we will look at the implications of these for our energy future. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory
