Elk River Sophomore is an Algae Alchemist

Disregarding the article's title..

This young student was seeking a way to remove CO2 from the atmosphere using algae but switched to creating biodiesel after he heard of efforts to do the same..

Last year he was able to produce 2 Gallons of biodiesel per day from a 700 gallon tank, and the key difference is the algae is not wasted in the process.. it lives..

Not being a scientist, I don't know how efficient this would be... on the surface, it looks promising.. take a look and let me know what you think..

Breakthrough? or Hogwash?

This article is from May and I did a search to see if this has popped up here to no avail, if it is already posted, please point me to the existing thread so I can close and redirect there.

www.startribune.com

Elk River sophomore Josh Wolf has a lofty goal -- helping to solve the world's fuel crisis -- using a humble tool: algae.

In the portable garage that serves as a back-yard laboratory, he has discovered that the application of a very low-level electrical jolt causes algae to release oil. After a couple of days, he skims it out, adds a formula of plumbing cleaner and antifreeze, and presto, it's biodiesel fuel. The fruits of his labors could be traveling around Elk River on any given day in the diesel tanks of friends' pickup trucks.

www.algenolbiofuels.com...

here's a company doing it with grants not real profits yet but just maybe.

reply to post by donlashway




I guess the difference is in the method?

Looks like the student's is to use a small electrical input to get the algae to release the oils, and the efforts of the company you linked is to use the sun to do the same?

Algae science is new and has incredible potential. The fuel aspect is not cost competitive yet, but other applications are now.
If I remember correctly the Israelis have developed an antibiotic strain of algae that incredible expensive but highly effective. Considering there are thousands of varieties of algae and its various properties after manipulation, we do not know that much about algae. One of the best uses is as a food source. Algae alone can sustain the human body for years. Farming algae as a food supply is on my to do list.

Originally posted by redneck13
One of the best uses is as a food source. Algae alone can sustain the human body for years.

That sounds interesting, do you have a link, I'd like to check into that aspect of using algae..

Hemp produces abundant amounts of bio-diesel. Everyone should have a diesel vehicle, and know how to make bio-fuels. The only way to get around if and when gas is hard to get.

reply to post by JacKatMtn


The main thing when looking at algae as a food supply at home is the bioreactor. I can be grown in any type of container, but is important that it isn’t contaminated. An all enclosed home bioreactor needs to be able to deliver CO2 to the algae enclosed in the system. The system also needs periodic maintenance and cleaning. There are a number of different thoughts on light sources; obviously, sun light is the cheapest. However, some algae show major increases in production when flashed with LED for three-second intervals. It does not look as appetizing as a juicy steak, but it can also be used to feed livestock. There is little doubt that algae could be used to help relieve famine in the world

I thought this was interesting as well. It seems a little far-fetched, but how do you keep one million people alive in the desert for forty years? The possible explanation offered is testimony to the potential of algae as a food supply.

Wow this is major....

THis kid needs funding and a lab!!!

If he is making repeatable amounts of biodiesel with the method it talks about here he's onto something major.