DOWN TO THE SEA FOR NEW ENERGY, Part 3

Ocean Algae
Ysabel Yates, December 8, 2011 (TXchnologist)

"… With the world’s population surging…limited land resources…[are overburdened producing] food and energy…Fortunately…space is abundant…[on] over 70% of the planet’s surface…[and the] ocean is awash with potential for alternative energy…There are hurdles…But there are a number of technologies…[that have the potential]…"

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"Algae…are among the fastest growing plants in the world, and about 50% of their weight is oil. Algae don’t require freshwater to flourish and they thrive on CO2, making them excellent carbon sinks. With oil back over $100 a barrel, algae farming is looking more feasible and there are many ongoing initiatives to improve on the process. The joint Irish-U.K. BioMara project, for example, is…screening wild strains of microalgae…for strains with high oil content and high stress resistance…The project is currently underway at the Scottish Association for Marine Science, which has over 2,700 strains of algae, making it the largest algal culture collection in Europe."