Algae could be new fuel (From Salisbury Journal)

Algae could be new fuel

1:08pm Thursday 20th October 2011 in Green living By Anne Morris

GREEN algae could be coming to a petrol station near you soon. Algae grown for fuel could be a future alternative to oil.

That rather startling realisation came from Professor Chris Rhodes’ fascinating talk on Tuesday at Café Scientifique, held at Salisbury Rugby Club. The title of his talk was Surviving the future - providing fuel for food and pharmaceuticals once the world has no more oil.

I am no scientist and this was my first attendance at a Café Scientifique event, but it won’t be my last. While some of the statistics went way over my head, the basis for debate was sound and understandable. What is going to happen when people have to use their car less because of the shortage of oil? Professor Rhodes quite candidly said: “We are very close to oil production’s maximum and there is a need to find alternative fuels to oil.”

Alternatives mooted were sugar beet made into biofuel, soya for biodiesel, hydrogen (the perfect ‘green’ fuel for cars), and green algae.

Apparently harvested algae grown in tanks is a real alternative. Algae can be fed with carbon dioxide from power plants, explained Professor Rhodes.

* Café Scientifique is held on the first Tuesday of the month at 7 for 7.30pm. The subject matter for November 1 is Science Failing to Save the Oceans by Dr Simon Cripps.