Solazyme says they can be ready with Algae fuel very soon
There’s a company that’s taking the fast track to developing algae fuel. How soon can they deliver the goods, and how are they doing it? Details after the jump.
And so it goes, the algae is not as “useless” as it was thought to be. It turns out that it can not only be the mean, green killing machine choking off our oceans, but it in fact can also be an alternative energy source.
Algae fuel development has been in development for a time now, but it wasn’t only until recently that we were given an actual timeline as to when we’ll be getting it within our reach. Solazyme‘s CEO Jonathan Wolfson has revealed in a conference call earlier that the company is actually capable of producing millions of gallons of biodiesel from algae in a matter of three years. “The technology is moving a lot quicker than some people would expect,” he said.
Solazyme‘s approach in creating algae fuel is different from the usual grow, harvest, squeeze oil out plan. Their method is to actually grow algae in the dark in huge tanks and feed it with biomass. The algae eat the biomass and then turn it into natural oils. It proves to be more efficient and as Wolfson explains, “We produce oils on the fuel side so that can go straight into the refining structure.”
It seems easier that way, too. We’re sure that once this gets ready for mass consumption, a lot more others will follow suit. And maybe we can all get a relief from the rising cost of world oil.
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