Week 7 Algae fuel option from San Diego, "the Houston of California"

This week I've heard, (on radio 4), a brief report on the development of algae for producing a bio fuel that is taking place in San Diego,California. After the usual interview with a truck business owner in Texas, who said that if any taxes are put on "gas" unemployment is bound to result, (no mention of the environmental issues long term for everyone!), there was a change of scene to a San Diego laboratory where huge vats of green algae were being stirred. I hope, (but think it unlikely) that this process was solar powered since it was taking place 24/7. An on site scientist, explained that he was convinced that fuel produced from the algae could be in use instead of conventional oil within ten years, with an estimated five years for the production of a prototype vehicle.

My thoughts? Firstly the processing seemed to be very expensive in terms of growing and processing the algae, (water resources, ambient temperatures, and extraction of the oil) and although the algae used carbon dioxide from the atmosphere while growing (so improving the situation re emissions) it seems unlikely that these will not then be returned when the oil is either processed or used, not to mention from the vat stirring if this is carbon fuel driven.

It seemed as if replacing the transport fuel was all that was really being considered here. While clearly short of data on some issues (such as the emissions, if any, and the costs of production on the environment in the processing) there seemed to be no emphasis on ecological issues, only on the fact that once in use the world need not fear the end of carbon fuels. It is probably replacing one problem fuel with another which has different but still significant issues attached to its production and use. I hope the water at least could be re-used time and again in the production process.In other words this seems another mainstream attempt at greening the current situation. At least the fuel was not(yet)using land previously growing food resources for people,(as with some other bio fuel crops).

Ive always hoped the solar cell technology we have could be improved so that solar powered vehicles would run during daylight and in sunshine would store energy for trips in the dark. They might only travel at 30mph but for the many people who use cars predominantly in cities for work, school trips and shopping this could work well. Public transport would be the option for longer trips, and the infrastructure of this does need to be improved and broadened as already mentioned. (Wk 6)