Smokestacks Make Biofuels
Would I put you on? It’s true, algae-based biofuels are being produced from CO2 emitted from smokstacks.
It’s happening through a company called GreenFuel, headquartered in Cambridge, Mass.
GreenFuel has been partnering with Arizona Public Service Company to create biofuels from algae grown using carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from a power plant. The companies successfully grew algae at APS’ Redhawk natural gas power plant in Arizona, and is moving their tests to a coal-fired power plant at Farmington, NM.
According to a release from APS, algae at Redhawk grew at levels 37 times higher than corn and 140 times higher than soybeans, which are now used to create biofuels.
According to GreenFuel,
“A single pass through the GreenFuel system significantly reduces carbon dioxide in the waste gas. Using the sun as a source of energy, algae convert the CO2 into valuable compounds. Growing up to 30 times faster than other terrestrial plants, algae are regularly harvested for conversion into biofuels, feed, or can be recycled back to the host facility. Recycling algae in a closed system reduces the need for fossil fuels”.
Company founder Isaac Berzin believes that,
“at commercial scale, he will cut capital costs enough to beat oil at $60 per barrel. Burning the algae fuel means the carbon has been used twice before being released, displacing greenhouse gas emissions from burning oil, and adding to the power company’s profitability when carbon is regulated.”
What a concept, creating biofuels from carbon dioxide and cleaning the air at the same time! There’s no need for potable water or fertile land, and the installation requires no retooling of existing facilities. In addition, operations at the site are not interrupted and there is no exposure to hazardous materials or other risks.
GreenFuel says it has successfully installed its systems at gas, coal and oil burning facilities.
Stay tuned.
Related Posts:
First Algae Biodiesel Plant Goes Online: April 1, 2008
Canada Unleashes First Carbon Tax in N. America
Algae Could Be Major Hydrogen Fuel Source
So what? We can replace oil (as it has peaked) with coal? How long will coal last then…not very long. All these solutions have flaws for further reading I advise people read wwww.theoildrum.com The fossil fuel & personal transport age is coming to an end. We had best grow up and deal with it or we might not make it!
This does nothing for carbon sequestering for petroleum and coal plants. The CO2 that was trapped in the ground is still being emitted to the air, just one step later than before.
Fossil Fueled Power companies are going to grab on to this and call themselves green and it makes me sick that they will get away with it.
Hmm. Fossil Fuels… sounds outdated to me.
[…] via Gas2.0 […]
I agree with greendoughnuts on this one. Unfortunately, I think we have a lot more coal-burning in our future, like 200 years worth. Could this technology make coal power an easier sell to the public? If it’s just used on existing infrastructure, it’s great, but if it’s used to lobby for more coal plants, that’s very bad news…
I’m pretty sure this technology can be used without the use of power plants, it just makes it easier to feed CO2 into the closed system.
Goddammed tired of nay-sayers. If your that smart, tell me how to get off the OPEC, oil baron heist of our economy. I think that desert solar/electric to a beefed up power grid and some plug-in cars might help. I’m sure the nitpickers will have at me, and the cynical super smart-asses will prove that nothing can be done and all is doom, but I’m not ready to capitulate, and I don’t think these assholes should be wasting the valuable time we have left - if you have the solution, out with it! otherwise shut your f**king mouths and think about a positive contribution before you type! rant done!