Comments on: Algae Based Biofuels in Plain English: Why it Matters, How it Works.

By: Robin Crites

Robin Crites — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:32:00 +0000

There are two problems that I am trying to research: One is the process of efficiently extracting lipids from the algae. Two, is anyone working on developing mass production methods for when this method of manufacturing fuel takes off. Who is going to grow the algae and where?

By: Ray

Ray — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:15:44 +0000

Just watched the Orgin Oil Video. This could be awesome. But can we do it in enough volume to displace oil?

By: Jim

Jim — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 10:38:35 +0000

For those that aren’t aware, there has just recently been a huge technological breakthrough in Algae Fuel made by the research company Origin Oil.
We won’t have a need for ponds, that could be contaminated, to grow algae.
They have a new Cascading Production process that can produce at least 3 batches a day of algae.
And they have a new Quantum Fracturing process that requires little energy to open up the algae to get the oil out.
Also, a biproduct is the algae biomass that can be used as animal feed.
There are many benefits.
You will see a video from a TV news about this on YOUTUBE.COM just type in “turning algae into oil” and you will see

By: PJ6

PJ6 — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 01:43:29 +0000

Jeremy, you’re an idiot. The US did not invade Iraq to spread democracy, it doesn’t give a rat’s ass about democracy and you would know this if you cared to study current events in any depth. The US has a long history of propping up despotic governments (such as the Sauds) and being directly and knowingly responsible for the destruction of legitimate democracies. The US invaded Iraq because Saddam wanted to switch from the petro-dollar to the petro-euro, and this is the same reason it’s about to invade Iran.

By: Paul Smith

Paul Smith — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:15:35 +0000

Such a great discussion going! Thanks for making my job as a blogger so satisfying. Here’s to a viable, high capacity solution (among the many needed) to meet our current and growing fuel and energy needs. I think this is one of them.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:35:05 +0000

The videos were awesome! Thanks for posting this. I hope scientists can find away to use algae to produce biofuel, we depend way too much on foreign oil!

By: Bransby

Bransby — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 06:55:36 +0000

Sorry, should read “largest oil producing region” not nation.

By: Bransby

Bransby — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 06:49:43 +0000

Apologies for continuing the Iraq war rant, but I’ve heard a few people now state that the war couldn’t have been about oil because Iraq didn’t produce very much oil, or that oil production there isn’t back to normal anyway. These areguments are a bit naive really. A war over oil is not simply about invading somewhere and taking their oil. It’s about securing suply from a region, and that region is far and away the largest oil producing nation in the world, and it’s no coincidence that it’s been at the centre of conflict ever since much of the world became dependent on oil. There are also economic reasons for it being a war about oil, I understand that Saddam Hussein was about to start trading oil in Euros rather than dollars, as had already happened in some other countries – this would have detramentally affected an already weak dollar.
To be honest, it’s all an irrelevance now, the war has been an unmitigated disaster whatever its reason.It has made the world a far more dangerous place, has decimated an already impoverished country and as everyone here has pointed out, diverted attention and funds from the far more pressing issue of securing a sustainable energy supply.
It’s admirable that people are still working so hard to develop technologies that will ultimately achieve that aim, but sadly, until there is a US government in place that puts the REAL security of its people (secure energy, secure health, secure education) above the neo-con agenda of power-through-fear, then it’s a losing battle.

By: malkavian publishing

malkavian publishing — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 03:43:01 +0000

Pah. Ruined a perfectly good thesis. I need to heed the “it’s perfect when there’s nothing left to take away” a little more.

By: malkavian publishing

malkavian publishing — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 03:37:54 +0000

Yeah, after war, when you tally the costs, it’s often “With all THAT money, we could have … solved the problem a million times over”. Why do wars get started anyway? Because the decision making process to start a war is different from that for starting a non-war project of the same magnitude. And make no mistake, the war on terror was a choice. By the US. It could as well have been handled as the crime of the century. Making a war out of it was a decision.
Democracy is unable to say no to war on rational grounds. But it is perfectly able to say no to $500 billion solar-farm projects “because it costs too much”.
The discussion that ensuses after a politician moves to start a war is very different.
The question asked by the politican proposing to spend $500b on the power plant is different from the question by the politician proposing [to spend $3000b on] war.
Solar farms:
Do you think we should spend 500 billion on to make the world’s biggest solar power plant?
War in Iraq:
We are now at war! We have a dangerous enemy. I am your leader! Do not question me, we must show unity in this time of crisis! We are threathened.
Solar farms are proposed, wars are declared. Costs of war never enter into the decision for war. That’s why they’re always such a demented deal…

By: Nauson

Nauson — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:46:31 +0000

jeremy, I admire your idealism. I too think the war in iraq is about more than oil – it’s about the egos of the neo-cons and an obsession with Israel. But let me ask you this – do you really think that we would have invaded Kuwait to drive Iraq out if not for oil? Oil is a HUGE piece of why we’re there.

By: RK

RK — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:02:54 +0000

The algae to oil story is probably the best bet we have. I expect that 20,000 gallons per acre per year is not realistic, but if even 2000 gallons per year works then it is a huge win.

By: jeremy

jeremy — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:33:07 +0000

First off, uncle B, the iraq war has nothing to do with oil. do you know what the most oil Iraq ever produced? 500,000bpd. do you know how much the US uses? 21,000,000bpd. the war isnt about oil, if it was they would have invaded venezuela. the war is about bringing democracy to the middle east. did you neglect the fact that all those people now have the vote? remember the 15th and 19th amendments? its kinda like that except WAY bigger. and no more people being killed just because saddam hussein wants them dead. now onto algae, its the best chance at not falling when oil finally becomes too expensive. i dont think it will run out, but instead it will just get too expensive to be extracted. it makes since that the solution to one of the most complex problems of all time is one of the simplest plants on earth

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:41:01 +0000

Solar is good but takes time and lots of money.
Ethanol can be produced in 180 days using non food crops such as cattails.
Our cars can use ethanol now not years down the road.