Freebird Posted July 17, 2008 #1 Posted July 17, 2008 This was sent to me by Bob Dakin. Very interesting but of course we probably won't ever seen anything else about it. http://www.valcent.net/i/misc/Vertigro/index.html
bongobobny Posted July 17, 2008 #2 Posted July 17, 2008 Hmmmm, turn New Mexico into a giant refinery for the US... Very interesting research, Don!
hig4s Posted July 17, 2008 #3 Posted July 17, 2008 Better still are the researchers that are modifying algae to produce hydrogen as a byproduct. If the two groups would get together we could probably have a hydrogen car infrastructure within 5 years. As far as bio-fuel, I'm not sure why we aren't using sugar cane like Brazil.
Freebird Posted July 18, 2008 Author #4 Posted July 18, 2008 I thought they were using sugar beets? Maybe I'm wrong though. Either way, from what the video said, the difference is that you could get thousands more gallons per acre with this algae than with corn OR sugar cane/beets.
Redneck Posted July 18, 2008 #5 Posted July 18, 2008 This type of research is the positive side of high energy prices. Where there is money there is innovation. I believe there are many good sources of energy and it is becoming economically viable now to develop them.
Condor Posted July 18, 2008 #6 Posted July 18, 2008 I can see it now. Some tree hugger organization will start a protect the algae protest and screw up everything.....
Black Owl Posted July 18, 2008 #7 Posted July 18, 2008 I can see it now. Some tree hugger organization will start a protect the algae protest and screw up everything..... Hmmmmmmmmmmm. Just checked my wallet. Yup, I'm still a card carrying tree hugger.... and why doesn't algae deserve protection? Huh, Huh, Huh????
bongobobny Posted July 18, 2008 #8 Posted July 18, 2008 Yeah!! Aren't there some kind of labor laws protecting the poor algae from being forced to work 24/7 without any compensation?? They are a living thing, after all...
Black Owl Posted July 18, 2008 #9 Posted July 18, 2008 Yeah!! Aren't there some kind of labor laws protecting the poor algae from being forced to work 24/7 without any compensation?? They are a living thing, after all... Will have to put on my ACLU hat and check into that. But you do have an excellent point.
PBJ Posted July 18, 2008 #11 Posted July 18, 2008 the video said that they get to live happily in a contamination FREE looped system. they get all the water they want and all the sun light the want to grow their own food and reproduce. And all they have to give up is a little body fat. Wait, wait. I got It! We have a problem with obesity right? Lets get people to sell all that excess body fat they we can turn it into fuel! HEKLL AS FAT AS WE AMERICANS ARE WE COULD NOT ONLY FUEL ALL OF OUR CARS BUT INDIA AND CHINA'S TOO. LOL!
RJD Posted July 18, 2008 #12 Posted July 18, 2008 we will probably end up buying our algae from China because they can grow it cheaper or because our refineries can't keep up with production or there is a shortage of additives or.... let's see what other lame excuses we can come up with to keep the American public from having cheaper fuel and energy. and lets see now, cheaper fuel means more room for taxes. Oh yea, lets tax the companys making the fuel because they created competition for the oil companys and it wouldn't be fair for them not to make billions of dollars. Bob
nelsontoddpa Posted July 18, 2008 #13 Posted July 18, 2008 I think China has been getting the jump on this as well- Have you heard about the major algae blooms they are having problems with? It's to the point of interfering with the sailing/sculling events at the Olympics. Nature at it's best! Make Algae- decrease pollution!
autopilot Posted July 19, 2008 #14 Posted July 19, 2008 I got an extra acre I can use. They're welcome to use it to build the enclosure & grow algae. I'd donate it as long as I get enough end product to run my vehicles!!!
James Ardrey Posted July 22, 2008 #15 Posted July 22, 2008 :clap2:Very interesting Don. I think they are on to something. Good ole american ingenuity.
AmnChode Posted July 22, 2008 #16 Posted July 22, 2008 Saw an article on this a few months back on cnn.com...see here: http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/04/01/algae.oil/index.html He is hoping to be able to produce 100k gal of fuel on a single acre....THIS is the bio fuel we need to be focused on...The funny part (not so funny, depending upon your point of view) is that he has only received $5 mil in investments....makes you wonder what he could do with some real investment. If the govt wants to blow money (and we know they do)...this is the guy to blow it on... The sad part is, the govt researched algae as fuel for years. It was started under the Carter Administration in '78 and ended by the Clinton administration in '96. Makes you wonder why the general public knew nothing of it.....hmmmm
Marcarl Posted July 22, 2008 #17 Posted July 22, 2008 Will have to put on my ACLU hat and check into that. But you do have an excellent point. Sorry guys,,,,, it will be called CHILD LABOUR and so will be outlawed in no time.
Freebird Posted July 22, 2008 Author #18 Posted July 22, 2008 Latest report is that Boeing and several of the large airlines have recently jumped in with funding for this project.
PBJ Posted July 22, 2008 #19 Posted July 22, 2008 The interesting thing is that the oil we get from the ground actually came from algae that was in the oceans millions of years ago and was buried as it dropped to the oceans floors. Learning now that the body of algae is 75% oil seems the answer .Oddly though with so much money going to the oil companies it isn't going to be our Government or even China that will get the edge over us . It will be the United Arab Emerites if they turn even a tenth of their recent profit toward algae/oil production. Think about it, trillions of dollars for investment, Thousand of acres of barren open land, bountiful amounts of sun and they live on the edge of a sea so they can get all the sea water that they want. Whats that saying about only the rich get richer?!?
AmnChode Posted July 23, 2008 #20 Posted July 23, 2008 They may get a chunk in, but nothing to the degree of what they have now. Think about it, just because they have one of the best environments for it, doesn't mean they will make the most from it. If they made use of a good chunk of the desert to do it, it would flood the market and it wouldn't be profitable.....pure supply and demand...add to the fact that we could do it on our own in NM, NV, West TX, parts of Cali, etc, the US wouldn't need them anyway. If it can just get off the ground, the price of standard crude would plumment (not that it matter at point anyways). And this, might make it worth the US Govt while as it would mean we would no longer be dependent on the middle east for fuel as we could make it ourselves and probably cheaper, too...HOWEVER, this also cuts the funding of Big Oil, which in turn would be the road block...kinda of a catch 22 that the general public has to pay for on all sides... hmmm...too much thinking:detective:
ventureblue Posted July 23, 2008 #21 Posted July 23, 2008 Yup as soon as the Big oil Companies can, they will road block this to the end. I do hope this will get off the ground, and like it was said before this might cut our dependance on forien oil. Hmmm if that day were to come, then those Arabs wouldn't have anything to sell. Hmm but would still need some of what we produce, like food. I know the Good old U.S.A. wouldn't think of turning the tables and charging $120.00 for a Gallon of milk. Sorry for the rant. I lost my mind
ventureblue Posted July 23, 2008 #22 Posted July 23, 2008 Saw an article on this a few months back on cnn.com...see here: http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/04/01/algae.oil/index.html He is hoping to be able to produce 100k gal of fuel on a single acre....THIS is the bio fuel we need to be focused on...The funny part (not so funny, depending upon your point of view) is that he has only received $5 mil in investments....makes you wonder what he could do with some real investment. If the govt wants to blow money (and we know they do)...this is the guy to blow it on... The sad part is, the govt researched algae as fuel for years. It was started under the Carter Administration in '78 and ended by the Clinton administration in '96. Makes you wonder why the general public knew nothing of it.....hmmmm It wouldn't be because the oil companies have there hand in our Governments pocket, Would it?
AmnChode Posted July 24, 2008 #23 Posted July 24, 2008 It wouldn't be because the oil companies have there hand in our Governments pocket, Would it? naw...that would never be the case...our govt is perfect honest...
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