Japan Studies Seaweed Biofuel

Researchers from Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Mitsubishi Research Institute, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and several other private-sector firms envision a 10,000 square kilometer (3,860 square mile) seaweed farm at Yamatotai, a shallow fishing area in the middle of the Sea of Japan.
They claim a farm of this scale could produce about 20 million kiloliters (5.3 billion gallons) of bioethanol per year, which is equivalent to one-third the 60 million kiloliters (16 billion gallons) of gasoline that Japan consumes each year.

According to the proposal, giant nets used in nori and wakame seaweed cultivation would be laid out to cultivate sargasso seaweed (hondawara), which grows rapidly.
Floating bioreactors would prepare the seaweed for conversion into ethanol, which would also be done at sea.

The researchers claim that in addition to serving as a source of fuel, the seaweed would help clean up the Sea of Japan.

Other participants in the project include NEC Toshiba Space Systems, Mitsubishi Electric, IHI, Sumitomo Electric Industries, Shimizu Corporation, Toa Corporation, Kanto Natural Gas Development Co., Ltd., and the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC).


SOURCE:
Pink Tentacle

This is a very interesting concept, which in my opinion deserves alot
of research.

One of the arguments against bioethanol being the replacement for
petroleum is that it would replace foodcrops in many areas, however
if seaweed is used, than that argument is completely void.

The cleaning of the Sea of Japan from such a scheme is definately
a plus.
I've also listed the companies (from the article) just to show that this
is'nt some obscure idea, but something that major coporations are
getting behind.


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