Algae - Green & Responsible Alternative Energy Source
XL Renewables Sees The Opportunities
Articles are popping up more and more in main stream media about algae as a source for energy. One of the latest companies to get recognition is XL Renewables. XL was recently covered by Ryan Randazzo in a six-part series on the sustainability movement published by the somewhat conservative newspaper, the Arizona Republic.
XL sees the opportunities algae presents for biofuel as well as animal feed supplements for cattle, pigs, poultry, fish, and food oils. Most biomass-to-energy conversion strategies also note the waste biomass from algae that is used as feedstock for biodiesel refining can be taken advantage of for their energy production. This includes ethanol and the same type of heat turbines used in coal-fired energy production.
Because, at this point, this is the end use of the biomass, it is not a substantially significant fuel supply. Although many algae growers say it is more than enough to power their operations. This, along with the fact that algae sequesters carbon dioxide to produce 2/3 of it mass, can be grown, with some growing techniques, in desert conditions using 90% of the original water over and over, makes this, quite possibly, the only viable option for internal combustion engine fuel. Locating algae growing facilities next to industries who currently have high carbon dioxide out-put would give those greenhouse gas offending industries a place to dispose of their emissions. It gives us the added benefit of not using A, B or C grade crop land to grow food crops for the refining of biofuel, allowing our farmers to grow food and sell it on the open market.
While not the best technology, internal combustion is what we have now and until we develop a realistic alternative form of mobile energy, we need to clean up the act we have. We now have the ability to grow enough algae on 1/2000th of the land in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Utah(about 200,000 acres) to refine all of the biodiesel we are currently using in the United States. With that transition to biodiesel we would cut our green house gas emissions from those vehicles 50% and particulate pollution would be cut 45%. All with little or no expense for engine conversion whatsoever.
ALGAE FOR BIODIESEL. WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT.
XL sees the opportunities algae presents for biofuel as well as animal feed supplements for cattle, pigs, poultry, fish, and food oils. Most biomass-to-energy conversion strategies also note the waste biomass from algae that is used as feedstock for biodiesel refining can be taken advantage of for their energy production. This includes ethanol and the same type of heat turbines used in coal-fired energy production.
Because, at this point, this is the end use of the biomass, it is not a substantially significant fuel supply. Although many algae growers say it is more than enough to power their operations. This, along with the fact that algae sequesters carbon dioxide to produce 2/3 of it mass, can be grown, with some growing techniques, in desert conditions using 90% of the original water over and over, makes this, quite possibly, the only viable option for internal combustion engine fuel. Locating algae growing facilities next to industries who currently have high carbon dioxide out-put would give those greenhouse gas offending industries a place to dispose of their emissions. It gives us the added benefit of not using A, B or C grade crop land to grow food crops for the refining of biofuel, allowing our farmers to grow food and sell it on the open market.
While not the best technology, internal combustion is what we have now and until we develop a realistic alternative form of mobile energy, we need to clean up the act we have. We now have the ability to grow enough algae on 1/2000th of the land in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Utah(about 200,000 acres) to refine all of the biodiesel we are currently using in the United States. With that transition to biodiesel we would cut our green house gas emissions from those vehicles 50% and particulate pollution would be cut 45%. All with little or no expense for engine conversion whatsoever.
ALGAE FOR BIODIESEL. WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT.
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