1. From smokestack to gas tank
- Author
-
Phil McKenna
- Subjects
Biodiesel ,Multidisciplinary ,Algae bioreactor ,Carbon sequestration ,Pulp and paper industry ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Algae fuel ,chemistry ,Biofuel ,Waste heat ,Carbon dioxide ,Botany ,Environmental science ,Carbon-neutral fuel - Abstract
This article reports a project in the USA to produce biofuel from the carbon dioxide emissions from power stations. Algae are used to remove carbon dioxide from a power plant's exhaust, producing sugars by photosynthesis, which are then metabolised into fatty oils and protein. The algal oil is converted to biodiesel by transesterification using ethanol and a catalyst. Waste heat produced by the power plant helps to dry the algae before the oil is extracted. The potential market for fuel produced from algae is attractive when oil prices are high, and interest has been expressed from Europe as well as the US. Waste carbon dioxide is also produced when corn is converted to ethanol and a further pilot project is investigating this source. Algae farms need much less space than other sources of fuel such as corn, soy beans or rapeseed, and they do not require water or fertile land, making them suitable for desert environments.
- Published
- 2006