Pond Scum Solves Biofuel Dilemma

Scientists at the University of Virginia believe that algae may be the best answer to alternative fuel methods. Algae, otherwise known as pond scum, are comprised of little tiny “biological factories that use photosynthesis to transform carbon dioxide and sunlight into energy so efficiently that they can double their weight several times a day.” (ENN)

Algae can produce 15 times more oil per acre than other plants used for biofuels. It can grow in salt water, freshwater, and contaminated water, at sea or on ponds, and even on land not usually suitable for food production. The fungus can grow even better when fed too much carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas. It also grows better when fed sewage. “If so,” University of Virginia report writes, “algae could produce biofuels while cleaning up other problems.”

Lisa Colosi, who is a professor of civil and environmental engineering, is part of the University of Virginia’s research team, which has been funded by a 3,000 dollar grant given from the new U.Va. Collaborative Sustainable Energy Seed. The team will try to decipher the true value of algae biofuel production. They hypothesize that by feeding the algae more carbon dioxide they could tentatively boost oil yield production by as much as 40 percent by weight. “The main principle of industrial ecology is to try and use our waste products to produce something of value,” Colosi said.

The U.Va team will experiment with only a few liters of algae to begin with. They will attempt to optimize the oil output by testing basic issues like whether or not it’s beneficial to grind up materials before feeding them to the algae.

If algae can indeed thrive within these means, a door will open to all kinds of ecological possibilities. For example, the new technology would help with wastewater treatment, “where dealing with solids is one of the most expensive challenges.” (ENN) It could even help reduce emissions of CO2, such as coal power-plant flue gas, “which contains 10-30 times as much carbon dioxide as normal air.”

If the team’s efforts prove successful, the group of three, including Mark White and Andreas Clarens, may be looking at even more grants from agencies like the U.S. Department of Energy.

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