Algal bio-diesel fuel has great scientific potential. Can we can the politics and ?

Question

find worthwhile solutions to energy needs?

Pelosi invested $100 K in T. Boone's windmill project before it became a public offering... Vested interests? (Note: the location of the windmills is in "fly-over country" where Pelosi and Ted Kennedy won't have to see them and will be payed for by the over-taxed).

Biodiesel is a viable non-political solution not requiring huge Government intervention to make it happen. It also removes CO2 from the environment in the fuel creation process, unlike T. Boone's use of methane which adds CO2 to the atmosphere.

Reference: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/05/algae-biodiesel-biofuels-green-star-micronutrients.php

Answer 1

I am glad to see that you are looking into other alternative fuels.  Algal bio-diesel is currently being developed by Exxon-Mobil as well as many other of the "Evil" oil companies.  It is true that it removes CO2 in the creation process, however, when it is used as fuel it adds CO2 to the environment.  Not as much as gasoline but it does have CO2 emmissions.

T. Boone does have a great idea and yes if you follow the money you will find other well connected folks as investors.  The fact is that T. Boone is not the only game in town when it comes to Wind power.  The state of Maryland has a wind power project and Delaware is planning one off the coast of Maryland.

The problem with power creation today is that it starts either with coal or Methane/Oil.  The hydrogen fuel cells that so many people are enamored with start with Methane.  This means that to produce large amounts of Hydrogen, you separate it from a hydrocarbon, releasing more CO2 into the air.

The real challenge is to produce large scale clean renewable energy sources that will move us into the new century without bankrupting every man, woman, child and grandchild in the world.  It has to be a tiered approach that will cost trillions over decades.  T. Boone's plan may be just the first step and he is looking at more than a trillion dollar investment in Wind power.  Imagine what we are looking at to develop Solar and Nuclear.

I don't believe that politics are the problem.  The real problem in this case is money.  None of the Oil companies nor any world government has a Trillion dollars to invest into any one energy source at this time.  That is the league that we are playing in.

Answer 2

I wish we could but these days the two are inexorably linked. Even you had to mention the two together, and you asked the question.

Answer 3

I'm with you that much more research and experimentation needs to be done on algae potential as a bio fuel alternative to food based agriculture.

As with most bio fuels, is a balance of energy in to energy out. Farming is a big consumer of energy and corn based bio fuels may never be economical without subsidies. Some are struggling with the economics.

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article...

Algae is a byproduct of municipal sewage,and I'm looking forward to a technology that can solve 2 for 1.

Your observation on nuclear power and batteries is right on.

Answer 4

Have you forgot about world hunger?