The New Algae Based Fuel

Is it possible to take the green scum that forms on your swimming pool, fill your gas tank with it, and drive off? Well no, not exactly. What you can do, however, is fill up your vehicle with biofuel that has been derived from that exact scum - algae.

For many years oil and fuel comapnies have been searching for a way to replace petroleum with fuels that are more renewable. Last summer, one of these alternatives came under fire. Corn-based ethanol did help to replace petroleum, but put a dent in the food supply during the drought. Luckily, the new algae based biofuel will not do the same. Developed by Solazyme, Inc which is located in South San-Francisco, this new development is not expected to have any negative consequences - just positive ones!

Known as B20, the algae based fuel combines 20% biofuel with 80% conventional diesel. With that said, many company officials do beleive that it would be possible to use 100 percent organic diesel, without causing a disruption in the performance or lifespan of a diesel engine.

The largest concern for this type of fuel is the price. As one would expect, it costs significantly more to produce biofuel than it does to produce fuel from petroleum. The first four stations serving this new fuel are each charging an average of $4.25 per gallon. While this fuel is being marketed in a month long pilot program, companies like Solazyme and Propel would like to continue marketing it if consumers agree.

Scientists are constantly looking for new ways that they can replace petroleum with alternatives. Such alternatives that they are looking for would be cleaner and more renewable than petroleum, but it would also be great if they were cheaper to produce as well. The most widely available of all biofuels right now is ethanol. Ethanol is a type of alchol that is used in many late model automobiles. It is generally a 15 percent gasoline and 85 percent ethanol mix.

One of the biggest concerns surrounding the use of ethanol is that many production facilities rely on corn to turn it into fuel. The result, as discovered last summer, is a shortage of corn. This is why many proponents have tried to gear away from food based ethanol and shift their focus to a "cellulosic" ethanol that can be created from a variety of different things including waste paper and grain chaff. But despite their attempts to constantly make ethanol more food friendly, very few consumers seem to be using the fuel anyways.

As for algae based fuel, there are many companies that seem to be looking into the idea. Included within these companies are Solray Energy and Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation. Companies are looking into using different production methods, trying to learn which method is the most efficient for fuel production.

Read the Original Article at: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/californians-can-now-fill-algae-based-biodiesel-1C7125794