Bob Morris @ Jul 22nd 2008 07:20 - Category: Unfiled Tags: algae, biofuel;
Not only does algae produce vastly more oil per acre than corn or palm, this new vertical growing method is closed loop, which means water continually is recycled and thus is much more eco-friendly.
And the process sequesters co2 as it creates algae.
Bob Morris @ Jun 24th 2008 02:53 - Category: Renewable energy Tags: algae;
A carbon-neutral coal plant? Sounds crazy but maybe not. Here’s the idea. Use carbon emissions from coal plants to grow algae which would then be converted to fuel for the power plant or into biodiesel and ethanol.
Preliminary tests shows the idea has promise. Let’s hope it scales and can be done on a mass basis.
Bob Morris @ Jun 14th 2008 17:14 - Category: Unfiled Tags: algae, biodiesel, biofuel;
VentureBeat thinks maybe it could. Biodiesel can be made from algae, as can ethanol. One company thinks they can make hydrogen from it, another says they can create the equivalent of sweet light crude (this would be approaching the Holy Grail, top quality petroleum from renewable sources)
None of these plans are at the commercial stage yet. But in a few years, some no doubt will be. Huge amounts of venture capital are being invested in these technologies now.
(In a few years, investors might kick themselves for not buying that little dinky biofuel stock back in 2008 when it was $2 a share. However, there will probably soon be a bubble then a crash in such stocks which will leave much wreckage and a few hardy survivors. The question for adventurous investors now, if it can even be answered is, which companies will prosper? )
Biofuel created from algae and from cellulosic materials not grown on farmland have Black Swan potential. Some Black Swans are good. Replacing a petroleum-based economy with one based on renewable fuels would be a beneficent Black Swan indeed.
Bob Morris @ Jun 12th 2008 16:09 - Category: Renewable energy Tags: algae, biofuel, ethanol;
Algenol plans to build a saltwater algae plant in the desert in Mexico. Unlike other methods that require the algae be squeezed to product the oil, they’ve GMO’ed algae to create ethanol directly, and claim the output is dramatically greater than using corn or sugar cane. And it doesn’t require using farmland better used for growing food.
GreenTechBlog has more.
Bob Morris @ Apr 9th 2008 06:30 - Category: Renewable energy Tags: algae, biofuel;
PetroSun asserts that an area the size of Maryland could produce enough algae biofuel to satisfy the entire fuel requirements of the United States.
What’s more, algae doesn’t need fresh water or land used for agriculture, and can produce a whooping 30 times more energy per acre than other methods.
Maybe someday (soon) calling someone “pond scum” will be a compliment.
Bob Morris @ Apr 6th 2008 12:18 - Category: Renewable energy Tags: algae, biofuel;
Excellent scientific explanation of how algae can produce mass quantities of biofuel while sequestering carbon at the same time.
Bob Morris @ Dec 30th 2007 00:16 - Category: Renewable energy Tags: algae;
Shell Oil plans to farm algae off the coast of Kona, Hawaii to create biodiesel in a test project.
Yes, the OilCos live in both worlds. But even ExxonMobil is now making serious moves into renewables. Good. Moving to clean, renewable energy will, among other things, require massive investments of money by companies who know how to build and transport energy on a massive scale. That would be the OilCos. Here’s hoping they go full-tilt into renewables, and I’m guessing they now finally get it.
In another sign of the green times, big dog venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins of Silicon Valley is now focusing on greentech. It says so on their home page (Al Gore recently became a partner.)
You bet they and ExxonMobil see the possibility for immense fortunes to be made in clean tech. They also have the money to fund R&D and startups, and that’s what’s needed now, a huge push into developing clean energy - and it looks like that push is now happening.
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