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- inactive, on 08/07/2008, -1/+28Yes if algae is grown this efficiently http://alfin2100.blogspot.com/2008/04/100000-gallo ...
It wont matter if there is peak oil or not, we can significantly take ourselves off dependence on ground oil.
Not to mention it's carbon neutral (takes carbon from air and if broken down releases the same amount back).
So in any case, whether 1 case be proven true or not, it's still a good idea. - wynja, on 08/07/2008, -1/+23Go Virgin go!!!! You show them how it's done Branson. Prove the naysayers wrong.
- bincoder, on 08/07/2008, -0/+19Is there a law that states that there can be only one solution?
And it must be the best solution and it must be ready within 15 minutes otherwise do nothing?
There is no best solution.
There is developing algae, engines, solar, nuclear, petroleum and all other things at once that lead to energy independence.
Statements like 'the best solution' should be reserved for game shows.
Algae looks promising but for the fact that you need to supply it with concentrated CO2 to get it to be oil productive.
It would be great if CO2 could be concentrated from the air itself then fed to the algae, if that can be done at a reasonable cost. That would be totally carbon neutral and inexhaustable for oil production.
Peak oil or not, who cares. More energy made locally is always a good thing. - bromac, on 08/07/2008, -1/+8The Peak Oil story was around before oil was even a major fuel source? In 1850, fuel wood supplied 90.7 per cent of the total energy used in the united states. I guess that's because they were all trying to get off that damn oil habit, eh?
News flash: the Peak Oil theory was first applied to the Pennsylvania Oil Fields, when they PEAKED in supply, and afterwards production declined. Notice how Pennsylvania isn't an oil-rich region anymore - they RAN OUT. It can also be applied on a worldwide basis - as in world oil production will peak at some point, and after which supply will drop.
It's pretty much common sense that applies to almost all resource extraction. The problem with OIL in particular is that even though we KNOW supply will peak, demand just won't stop growing. In Pennsylvania, even though the local fields dried up, world supply was growing to meet demand. On a global scale, there's no other planets to go to for oil. Supply cannot grow infinitely. This causes supply problems and all sorts of nasty issues of not having enough energy for the masses. - inactive, on 08/07/2008, -1/+8Uh, if it takes carbon from air, and then puts same amount back from burning... its called carbon neutral.
Should've studied harder in chemistry, ya think?!
"Hello, ignorance of emissions!"
Um hello plain ignorance !! - norman619, on 08/07/2008, -0/+5You sure it wasn't stupidity?
- wunksta, on 08/08/2008, -0/+5they may be gouging prices, limiting supply etc but the overall limited supply of oil and its rapid consumption is a fact.
- leerayIG88, on 08/07/2008, -1/+5Every time when the sun shines on my koi poind, I get algae. Now I can't see my fish! :(
- inactive, on 08/07/2008, -0/+4For those that dont wanna watch the vid:
Its about 20,000 gallons of oil an acre per year.
Vertically grown and closed loop ( to conserve water loss) about 100,000 gallons per year per acre. - cheezintern, on 08/08/2008, -0/+4Really? Cause I didn't think they had variable valve timing and variable displacement engines pumping out water from the mines. The internal combustion engine of today is only similar to the originals in that it relies on the combustion of a fuel, internally, usually in a metal block of some sort.
- ErickStevenson, on 08/07/2008, -0/+4I guess there was an up side with the whole oil crisis after all. Atleast people are starting to realise that oil isn't finite and people are looking and investing in alternative fuel. This sounds promising. The more alternative fuel available the better!
I just hope this lasts and we don't end up going back to Oil. - wunksta, on 08/07/2008, -0/+4actually, theres a net loss and any methane that IS created, can be reharvested
http://www.solarbiofuels.org/biofuels/Templates/bi ...
http://www.svlele.com/algae.htm
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4424064.html
http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6923906/descript ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algaculture - borez, on 08/07/2008, -1/+5Peak oil is like your life: you're born, you grow up, you peak, and then you get old and die as your life runs out... if you think that this is not the case, then please fill me in on your secret.
- norman619, on 08/07/2008, -0/+3You seem to know so much. Can you give is a realistic solution that can support us like oil does? I'm betting the answer is a big hell no. The truth is that we need to drill for more oil while researching and perfecting alternative energies and technologies which will allow us to slowly ween ourselves from oil. Getting away from oil will take longer than you think. I doubt I will see it in my lifetime. I doubt it will happen in my baby's lifetime.
- bincoder, on 08/07/2008, -0/+3From what ive read about oil from a certain type of algae to be used as fuel, the algae is not 'harvested' from ponds and the like.
Just the one type of algae can reproduce itself and result in lots of oil at a very high speed, as far as algae goes.
The farms would more resemble a solar collector farm. This system requires to be sealed from the enviroment, increased levels of CO2 input, far above the natural amount in the air, and are built inside collectors just like solar cells.
Under those conditions, the algae basically converts sunshine to oil very quickly. It will produce oxygen, that is its 'waste product' since its more algae being made than exists now, it will if anything raise the levels of oxygen in the air. - Mothrog, on 08/08/2008, -2/+4"Big Oil" is really "Big Energy." The thing you idiots never seem to grasp is that they'd be equally happy to provide you with biodiesel as they would plain old fashioned oil... Probably more so considering they wouldn't have to worry about tanking it across oceans.
- pyroyetti420, on 08/07/2008, -0/+2well the first part of the article was good, then it just turned into a commercial for virgin. lame.
- mmilton, on 08/08/2008, -0/+2"Every home.... a hydrogen generator". Are you crazy? It's hydrogen not gasoline. You don't want your neighbor's having a hydrogen generator/tank. Hydrogen is the most volatile and unstable gas there is.
Keep the hydrogen far away away from people.... that means not at home and not in car tanks that could rupture and create giant explosions. - inactive, on 08/07/2008, -0/+2 How is this going to get votes from the Heartland?
- sboyerfour, on 08/07/2008, -0/+2This would be an excellent solution to our oil "problem" and if we utilize it right it could definitely be the next generation resource. However, I'd be a bit concerned that mankind would go overboard like we have on everything else. If you look at the facts, algae produces NINETY-SEVEN PERCENT of the oxygen we breath, and if that isn't enough of a reason to look at the risk factor, is sustains and houses more life than anything above the surface.
Its a great idea... As long as its done right - herculez, on 08/07/2008, -4/+6Big oil never has anything to fear, they simply buy up competing technologies and sit on them.
- billbugger, on 08/07/2008, -0/+2Those can be captured and used.
- edebolt, on 08/07/2008, -0/+2algae oil is a great idea. What industry has the already built infrastructure to distribute it? The oil industry of course. Will yuppies pay a premium for algae oil? yes probably. what's the problem? the oil industry will likely have to add new tanks and pumps for the algae oil product. They might not be excited to make a large investment until there is a lot of algae oil to distribute. It might just take a while to get going.
- bluesnowmonkey, on 08/07/2008, -2/+4"Is Algae the Best Solution to Peak Oil?"
Are you asking? How the ***** should I know? Why don't YOU tell ME whether algae is the best solution? You're the one writing the article! - inactive, on 08/07/2008, -1/+3Yeah, let's put all our eggs in Lindsey Williams basket. I will refute this in as short a post as possible.
The official, up-to-date estimation of crude in Alaska (the North Slope and ANWR region) is between 5.7 billion barrels and 16 billion barrels. For sake of conversation let's round to 6 billion. (http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs-0028-01/fs-0028-01.pdf% ...
America uses 20 million barrels per day. Time for the math.
6 billion/20 million = 300 days flat of crude supply.
16 billion/20 million = 800 days flat of crude supply.
Obviously, we would never extract 20 million barrels in a day from Alaska, however Lindsey Williams is implying that we would get 20 million bpd for 200 years (or whatever the demand rises to.) Simply false.
Peak Oil exists whether or not there is 200 years worth of oil in Alaska (which there is not, there is a fair supply of natural gas.) If you disagree with that statement, you do not understand the concept of peak oil.
That video is spammed by sheeple like you all the time and it's funny because people like him and you are the reason we're all screwed. - Mothrog, on 08/08/2008, -0/+2Citing Alex Jones = fail.
- wunksta, on 08/07/2008, -0/+2there wouldnt be any change in c02 really, it takes it out of the atmosphere. the only worry i could see would be methane, but we can harvest any production of it if we maintained a closed loop
- b0rna, on 08/07/2008, -1/+3god this is getting so old now...
- snoogit, on 08/07/2008, -0/+1thats what the balloons on cows are for!
- rizzo2008, on 08/11/2008, -0/+1Considering much of our oil reserves were created by ancient algae and deposits of organic materials all this is doing is speeding up the process to something humanity can produce on demand versus 100s of millions of years.
Genetically modified bacteria that use CO2 as the sole feedstock also show huge potential and I am excited to see people are finally seeing the benefits of biofuels that don't interfere with food crops or even arable land. - shiftless, on 08/08/2008, -0/+1Because an actual algae plant was activated. There were no algae plants producing oil a few months ago despite concrete ideas and plans regarding it since the 70's. However, since the plant opened, the algae have already produced oil chemically identical to crude oil. This is VERY REAL.
- svendm, on 08/07/2008, -0/+1Um, well in fairness, I've never heard anyone propose corn _oil_ as a viable alternative. That'd be corn-based ethanol (made from corn starch, not corn oil). And corn-based ethanol isn't generally considered a viable option in the long run either, since it (obviously) competes with food crops.
That said, it's an interesting idea for biodiesel. But be clear that the real competitor here would be palm oil and other biodiesel sources. (the drawback of palm oil is that it competes with rainforest) - Metasquares, on 08/08/2008, -1/+2Big Oil will like anything that requires you putting some sort of fuel in your car. What's really freaking them out is stuff like solar.
Unfortunately for them, renewable energy is ultimately the only way to solve this problem. - pizpot, on 08/08/2008, -0/+1It generates hydrogen on demand and burns it right away. The tank is for water. Mostly you use electricity, the hydrogen is just better than batteries, as they wear out and are poisonous. Honest, this is a done deal. The whole problem with fuel cells was the cost, that is solved with the cobalt one. Same with solar cells, cost and only 30% efficient... solved, solved.
No more grid, no more gas stations. - mmilton, on 08/08/2008, -0/+1Big oil will embrace it if they can make money because they are really Big Energy
- hovester, on 08/08/2008, -0/+1No, citing Al Gore = major scam.
- cheezintern, on 08/08/2008, -0/+1It's a good idea, but I think those very same owners would easily drop such clauses when their boat-load of cash arrives.
- ieee, on 08/08/2008, -0/+1What I like about Algae is that it doesn't have to be grown on land that can be used for crops. Algae producers can build algae tanks on infertile land, waste land, and land destroyed by toxic waste.
- norman619, on 08/07/2008, -3/+4Reply buttons are great. See?
- acudoc, on 08/11/2008, -0/+1Man's creativity is the bright spot in our future. The real dark spot is the assininity of politicians, who somehow manage to be an anchor on all of man's hopes. Learn to see politicians for the buffoons they are, and perhaps we will survive to enjoy some of the breakthroughs being touted in this article.
- greensky, on 08/08/2008, -0/+1Yeah, there is a TON of research going on in Algae now and a whole bunch of different ways the energy it collects can be utilized. I forget the exact details, but some forms of Algae seem to secret oils. I think some processes harvest that oil and use that instead of processing the algae themselves.
Here are a few links regarding some of the algae stuff out there. The top video is interesting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGcLgE52rzw
http://www.hrbp.com/Technology/CoreTech.html
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/03/15-algae-b ...
http://gas2.org/2008/03/29/first-algae-biodiesel-p ...
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/earth/4213 ... - inactive, on 08/07/2008, -0/+1with the first line being: "Big oil had better start worrying"
I wonder if this is all about competivness rather than actually about the worlds climate. - rizzo2008, on 08/11/2008, -0/+1What that is a huge advantage!! Helping reduce our dependence on petroleum oil and preparing for both peak oil and peak natural gas
- mmilton, on 08/08/2008, -0/+1not the "only" way.
- rholland356, on 08/07/2008, -0/+1It seems to me oil would be the ideal method of sequestering carbon. Liquids are much more stable than gases, and I bet much easier to manage.
Now, how do I get my own backyard algae farm and cracking tower to produce my own grade of gasoline? DIY, anyone? - Mothrog, on 08/08/2008, -1/+2You're taking advertising as proof that the peak oil theory started in 1855? That pretty well says it all
- SIRBERUS, on 08/07/2008, -1/+2Calm down... it's just a title. If you move your eyes down a bit, you'll find the answers.
Crisis averted. - gurudrew, on 08/07/2008, -0/+1http://digg.com/contact
- whyufail, on 08/07/2008, -0/+1The algae method is old as freaking dirt. I mean seriously, why are they just picking up on this now? Hell, I remember YEARS ago when "biodiesel" was a brand new word, the only method anyone even KNEW of was the freaking algae method. Now it's suddenly "new"? What the *****.
- biogears, on 08/08/2008, -1/+2Big Oil, you mean OPEC right? Because they and other government-owned oil producers are a by far the largest part, not the private companies like Exxon.
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