Algae Biofuels

Much has been debated about biofuels, how it affects food prices, is it really all that energy efficient, it uses up key arable land etc etc etc...

What we should be looking at is towards second generation biofuels (yea like the web 2.0 revolution we should have a green 2.0 or something). Second generation biofuels just means that the source is non-food crops or oil seeds, so that includes the cellulosic type, algae biofuels is another. Heck this latest story may not even be talking about second generation but 3rd generation. There has been talks about being able to create a new fuel and it might seem that the company mentioned below is on that track.


World's First Renewable Gasoline [source Ecogeek]:

Well its pretty hearten to hear that there are movements along the algae biofuel front, its not just in the lab anymore, but there are commercial attempts at it. (ok this is not really new news to me but yea thought I would blog about it anyway)

The title might sound impossible, but Sapphire Energy, a California-based company, has been working away to create actual gasoline from a renewable, carbon neutral source: algae. While we've heard of many different processes for making fuels from algae, this one certainly tops the list. They've managed to produce 91-octane, ASTM certified gasoline, ready to be pumped into your car. They stress that it is not ethanol, and not biodiesel.

Move over Brent Crude, it's Green Crude's turn.... [Full Story]