Comments on: Algae-based Biofuels

By: Ben Palmer

Ben Palmer — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 03:09:41 +0000

I really hope that we can find reliable alternatives for real oil. These gas prices are getting rediculous, and as a college student with no income, it’s even worse!

By: Megan Ellis

Megan Ellis — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 01:46:52 +0000

its really exciting to think that a much better way of fueling cars is coming soon

By: JT

JT — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:44:35 +0000

Everyone seems worried that we will run out of oil before we find another source of fuel, but with everyone working together one of the many ideas like this will prove sufficient soon i’m sure.

By: Tom Adler

Tom Adler — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:35:15 +0000

There is a problem in the gulf of mexico with nitrogen. The nitrogen travels from up here to the gulf, then it grows an algae which sucks all the oxygen out of the water killing fish and other plants and has destroyed fishing communities along the coast. If that same harmful algae was profitable to collect and remove, oh what a good day that would be for the people of New Orleans.

By: ScottB

ScottB — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:39:42 +0000

Rob Astorino,
I’m not saying that an entire new infrastrucure needs to be created, but it will need to be modified. Don’t get me wrong either, I’m all for the research and development of new and better fuels as well as ways to better utilize the fuels that we are currently using. I’m just saying that you can’t jump on the first boat that drifts by because chances are it has a hole in it.

By: Eric An

Eric An — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 07:33:32 +0000

I’m wondering how much CO2 will it take to mass grow Algae.
I’ve done some research for another class about biofuels and in an article I found, it said that just preparing the land for biomass plants and processing them to become biofuels will emit more greenhouse gas into the air than the positive effect of the produced biofuel.

By: Hwan Joung

Hwan Joung — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 05:21:44 +0000

This is very new to me and it is awesome..I know that there are some cars out there that can be run on H20/biofuel. But I never thought algae…Algae grows very fast and absorbs significant amount of C02 as well… which means this can be used for fuel…What is next? it seems like cars can be run on basically anything nowdays

By: John Fodor

John Fodor — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 04:17:37 +0000

Man this is awesome! I watched the discovery channel though and they can run cars on H2O, and even compressed air. The cool thing about compressed air though is that we can drive the cars in cities and they will essentially clean the air. The only problem is someone needs to find a way to reasonable put an air compressor on the car. The only way now if if compressed air tanks are put onto the car making it no as efficient. But what would be really cool is if we could colonize other plants. ~John Fodor

By: Jim Hardy

Jim Hardy — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 03:54:39 +0000

So I am with Ryan Rendino on this one, this argument seems to be a little out of my league. Good for the researchers to have found this source. Big oil wouldn’t invest in this if they didn’t see the green potential (read: money). With Honda producing cars that emit water vapor, other auto makers with hydrogen and biofuels, GE turning major resources toward ecoimagination, I think this signals some opportunity for us, and is a great development in both our future and in our way of life.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 02:18:31 +0000

This is definitely an interesting take on the alternate fuel issue. I would have never thought that algea could be used to produce bio-fuel. Yet, I do have the same skepticism as a few others - we would need a ton of algea to satisfy, as ScottB put it, “our thirst for fuel.” And although at this time this may be a temporary solution, who knows what discoveries could be made in the process of studying its uses and applications. I am constantly intrigued by all of the research that goes into finding these alternative fuels.