Don't Tell Anyone About This Whatever You Do
You've probably heard or read a thing or two in the media about turning algae into biofuel, but probably, like me, not paid it too much attention really.
It seems that whilst the last few nuts & bolts are being tightened up on various biodiesel and bio-ethanol plants around Europe to process wheat, rapeseed etc into biofuel. Or even whilst the footings have only just been dug in some cases. Algae is the new kid on the block.
Interesting thing about algae #1:
The oil yield from conventional crops such as palm oil is 5,000kg/ha, peanuts (890), rapeseed and sunflower (675), soybean (450) and corn oil and cottonseed (225).
What do you think it is from algae? A. 55,000kg/ha!
Blimey, that's a damn efficient way of utilising the land and stopping deforestation isn't it?
Interesting thing about algae #2:
The by-product from producing biodiesel from algae is a high-protein animal feed that can replace soybean meal in the ration.
Bloody hell, who'd have thought that? But it can't be an all win-win situation surely?
Interesting thing about algae #3:
Algae consumes carbon dioxide in the presence of sunlight. That means that the "crop" can actually "eat" the processing plants' own emissions, helping it grow, whilst simultaneously gaining CO2 credits.
Bugger me, the perfect crop. Highly efficient use of land, quality by-product, and the production process actually eats it's own shit, creating less CO2.
Hang on a minute, what are we going to do with all these other plants we've built at the cost of billions to process foodstuffs into fuel? We want to sell the seed, sell the fertiliser, sell the pesticides, buy they grain, sell the grain, exclusively market the by-product, AND get a tax break off the government whilst we're about it.
No Siree, I don't like the sound of this at all. Our entire business model was built around an old Sony CD Walkman and now you buggers have gone and invented the iPod Shuffle. You tight bastards.
It seems that whilst the last few nuts & bolts are being tightened up on various biodiesel and bio-ethanol plants around Europe to process wheat, rapeseed etc into biofuel. Or even whilst the footings have only just been dug in some cases. Algae is the new kid on the block.
Interesting thing about algae #1:
The oil yield from conventional crops such as palm oil is 5,000kg/ha, peanuts (890), rapeseed and sunflower (675), soybean (450) and corn oil and cottonseed (225).
What do you think it is from algae? A. 55,000kg/ha!
Blimey, that's a damn efficient way of utilising the land and stopping deforestation isn't it?
Interesting thing about algae #2:
The by-product from producing biodiesel from algae is a high-protein animal feed that can replace soybean meal in the ration.
Bloody hell, who'd have thought that? But it can't be an all win-win situation surely?
Interesting thing about algae #3:
Algae consumes carbon dioxide in the presence of sunlight. That means that the "crop" can actually "eat" the processing plants' own emissions, helping it grow, whilst simultaneously gaining CO2 credits.
Bugger me, the perfect crop. Highly efficient use of land, quality by-product, and the production process actually eats it's own shit, creating less CO2.
Hang on a minute, what are we going to do with all these other plants we've built at the cost of billions to process foodstuffs into fuel? We want to sell the seed, sell the fertiliser, sell the pesticides, buy they grain, sell the grain, exclusively market the by-product, AND get a tax break off the government whilst we're about it.
No Siree, I don't like the sound of this at all. Our entire business model was built around an old Sony CD Walkman and now you buggers have gone and invented the iPod Shuffle. You tight bastards.
