Algae biofuel is a biofuel which is derived from algae. During photosynthesis, algae and other photosynthetic organisms capture carbon dioxide and sunlight and convert it into oxygen and biomass. Up to 99% of the carbon dioxide in solution can be converted. Several companies and government agencies are funding efforts to reduce capital and operating costs and make algae biofuel oil production commercially viable. The production of algae biofuel does not reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide, because any CO2 taken out of the atmosphere by the algae is returned when the algae biofuel is burned. They do, however, eliminate the introduction of new CO2 by displacing fossil hydrocarbon fuels.
Why Algae Biofuel Over Crop Biofuel?
Algae biofuel can produce up to 300 times more oil per acre than conventional crops, such as rapeseed, palms, or soybeans. As Algae biofuel has a harvesting cycle of 1–10 days, it permits several harvests in a very short time frame, a differing strategy to yearly crops. Algae biofuel can also be grown on land that is not suitable for other established crops, for instance, arid land, land with excessively saline soil, and drought-stricken land. This minimizes the issue of taking away pieces of land from the cultivation of food crops. Algae can grow 20 to 30 times faster than food crops. For these reasons algae biofuel can be sold at a more economical price.
Aurora Algae Biofuel
Aurora Biofuels is one of the first to take algae biofuel to a full size commercial scale plant. Aurora Biofuels generates biodiesel from optimized algae in a patented production process. Leading technologists at Aurora Biofuels have developed a cost-competitive, scalable method for algae biofuel generation using robust, highly-productive custom algae strains in open pond systems. Because of this they will be able to produce algae biofuel at an economical price.
Media Contact: AuroraAlgae@schwartzcomm.com
