Mean Green

The catchiest talk around the world is global warming, and renewable energy. Not because it’s catchy but because it’s worthwhile did this article initiate.

Well, all of us know about algae, the slimy creature that tremendously grows above water sources. Possibly thought of as weeds decades before, are now identified as a potential source of alternate fuel.

Fossil fuels, which are currently the biggest source of fuel, are getting depleted in a very fast manner. A potential alternative could only be a source that could be found aplenty.

What makes them a potential source of fuel?

Pond scum (the common term by which algae are referred) utilizes the solar energy incident on them to carryout photosynthesis and produce energy which is stored as oil.

Experts estimate that thousands of gallons of oil can be harvested from algae in a year per acre, when compared to 30 gallons from corn; 50 gallons from soybeans with the same growth parameters.

Now let’s see the reasons that make algae a successful fuel source:

Algae are the fastest growing plants in the world

Half of their weight is oil

Algal lipid oil can be converted into bio-diesel for cars, trucks, and for that case even airplanes

Now let us take a closer look at how algae produce oil. Actually micro-algae generate lipids in the form of triacyglycerols (TAGs). The strange fact is that some micro-algae can be triggered to accumulate extensive quantities of lipids, greater than half of their biomass.

Now the question is how do algae grow so quickly?

While some algae reproduce sexually, some asexually, many combine both modes. Some green algae alter the type of reproduction owing to changes in environmental conditions, like lack of moisture or nutrients.

What’s the latest news from algae fuel sector?

There are emerging processes that uses genetically modified (GM) strains of algae and reduce the cost of making fuel. Such GM algae could be grown in enclosed plastic tubes exposed to sun.

Getting back to initial discussion, how well does the algae impact global warming reduction?

Carbon producing power plants, or manufacturing plants, are one of the major contributors for global warming. On the other hand it is interesting to note that this CO2 is used by algae for photosynthesis. Thus the CO2 from such power plants and for that case any such facility could be discharged into algal farms which will utilize them and convert them to energy.

The Detroit’s Big Three will meet again with President George W. Bush in Washington later this month to discuss the increased use of flexible and alternative fuels. No date has been announced but the White House spokesperson said that the administration stays in contact with the automakers.

The talk will cover the increase of use of flexible and alternative fuels as well as other issues related to the industry. “We look forward to working with them [automakers] to reduce gasoline usage,” said White House spokesman Alex Conant.

Colin McBean, the manager of Washington communications for DaimlerChrysler AG, said the talks likely will center on alternatives to gasoline and diesel fuel such as ethanol and biodiesel-powered vehicles. He added, “There’s interest among the respective parties to discuss flexible fuel as well as alternative fuels.”

Last November, Bush met with General Motors Corp. Chairman and Chief Executive Rick Wagoner, Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally and DaimlerChrysler AG’s Chrysler Group CEO Tom LaSorda. The President promised a continued dialogue on trade, health care and other issues as well.

Bush, in his State of the Union address, proposed reducing gasoline use by 20 percent over the next ten years. Bush called for ramping up the production of alternative fuels such as ethanol made from new, non-corn feedstocks. The President also called on Congress to require the yearly use of 35 billion gallons of ethanol and other alternative fuels like biodiesel by 2017. The intent is to increase the current requirements five times.

Spokesmen for Ford and GM decline to comment whether a meeting between the president and the auto executives had been arranged. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, on the other hand, said another meeting is a good step, but she said Bush needs to allocate more money to alternative fuel and battery technology development. “We need to see a boldness coming from the president’s budget on alternative fuels,” she said.

Stabenow expects the executives and Bush to discuss increasing the number of filling stations that have ethanol and biofuels. While incentives have been successful in developing alternative fuels, the infrastructure is not in place yet to get them to consumers, she said.

In 2006, top executives of GM, Ford and DaimlerChrysler said that by 2010 they would double their production of flexible fuel vehicles, which can run on blends of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. They intend to build two million of these vehicles a year by 2010.

However, the goal could be derailed due to lack of fueling stations that carry the ethanol blends. Fewer than one percent of the nation’s 170,000 gas stations offer E85, and most are found in the Midwest. Another dilatory situation is requirement of meticulous study about alternative and flexible fuels. It needs further study about engines, Fram filters, radiators, brakes, and other crucial auto parts.

When it comes to producing ethanol, sugar is the key component. The sugar base can vary widely with current plants often using corn, soybeans or cane sugar. In an attempt to use biomass that has no food value, researchers have perfected a way to transform waste biomass, like wood chips into ethanol. Other common alternative sugar sources include switchgrass.

The focus on cellulosic biofuels peaked during the Bush years of the United States. According to then President Bush, the United States would produce 35 million gallons of ethanol by 2017. The most popular method of production uses corn starch which is limited to about 15 billion gallons per year. So, where were the remaining 20 billion gallons going to come from? The answer is cellulosic biomass.

Throughout World War I and World War II, cellulosic biofuels were used as an alternative form of energy. The plants created to manufacture the fuels were not profitable during either war and thus they were closed. These plants used acid to treat wood before pulling out the sugars needed to produce ethanol. The process yielded 50 gallons of fuel per ton of biomass in optimal conditions and used more energy during the manufacturing process than the resulting energy yielded.

Technology changes and the use of enzymes to treat biomass have revolutionized the process and thus the promise made by the former President of the United States. More than $350 million in funding was provided to start the production process. The two types of production funded included thermo-chemical and cellulosic.

With the high price of oil, the unstable foreign oil countries, and with a renewed focus on the environment there has been much attention of late on finding an alternative fuel source. Biodiesel is nothing new, in fact it has been talked about and experimented on for close to a century, but has been the recipient of a lot of interest of late.

An alternative fuel source has been talked about for decades. The reasons different people have for looking for this alternative fuel source vary widely. It could be for environmental reasons, economic reasons, or even just the excitement of new technology. One thing is certain though, in the past when someone showed interest in biofuel technology it was usually a small group of environmentalists, a lone scientist, or a very small energy related startup company. Not true any longer as multinational corporations and entrepreneurial millionaires are jumping on the ever filling Biodiesel bandwagon.

From Ohio to Malaysia established biodiesel manufacturing plants are operating at capacity. So much that in recent months there has been announcements regarding huge Biodiesel manufacturing plant construction projects. Construction projects aimed at building Biodiesel manufacturing plants that can yield 50, 100, even 200 million gallons or more per year. All this is happening in the Biodiesel refining and manufacturing industry while the newest oil refinery built in The United States started operation in 1976.

Farmers large and small have also seen the trends and altered their growing plans. More farms are raising crops with their specific eye on the Biodiesel market. Soybeans, Corn, Rapeseed, and more are dotting the world’s landscape. Few experts would say that Biodiesel will one day replace petroleum based fuel as it is impractical to grow enough raw materials to fill the world’s fuel demands. But, anything that can make a dent in one of the world’s most established markets deserves notice.

Millionaires and corporations wouldn’t sink millions upon millions of dollars into a relatively new industry without believing that it would be profitable. Corporations are not known to be gamblers. Major corporations have buildings full of accountants and market analysts who are paid well to make sure that the corporation does not make a poor investment. The only reason that self-made millionaires and these multinational corporations would expend the manpower, time, and money to develop and construct Biodiesel manufacturing plants is that they believe there is money to be made. For there to be money to be made in the Biodiesel market, all these successful and knowledgeable people have not only seen that the growing and manufacturing processes are viable, but that there will be a market for their products. Without end users, the manufacturing of anything for resale is pointless.

So, why have millionaires and corporations invested so heavily lately in Biodiesel? Because they have seen the future, and the future is made up of a large number of consumers who for many different reasons are looking for an alternative-fuel. There needs to be no further evaluation on whether there is a future to the Biodiesel market. If there were no future to the Biodiesel market, then these investors and businesses would not be spending this kind of time and money on manufacturing a product that no one will buy. Continue manufacturing, the buyers are waiting.

Waste vegetable oil is a natural byproduct of cooking and presents an interesting problem for any restaurant owner. Just what does one do with the gallons, sometimes even barrels, worth of used vegetable oil accrued on a daily basis through the everyday workings of the restaurant? Fortunately there are several options, some of which can even be profitable to the restaurant owner.

The most common means of disposing of the large quantities of oil generated by a restaurant is the use of a waste oil disposal service. Depending on the area the restaurant is operating in, there may be several options in this. In areas where there is not a ready demand for used oil a restaurateur may find it necessary to pay to have cooking oil removed.

Locating a suitable disposal service is often as simple as turning to the local yellow pages. Cooking oil removal services are often listed under the heading “Oil – Used and Waste”. It is a simple matter of doing a bit of research and calling around to see which service offers the best price and works with the restaurant’s schedule. Often times refineries offer a waste cooking oil removal service at lower cost than independent operations.

In some areas, where there is an applicable use and facilities that utilize waste oil, a restaurateur may even find that he can make money off of his restaurant’s oil. Many removal services are willing to pay for oil that they then resell. Waste oil is used by rendering plants where it is recycled into high energy fat used in animal feeds. Used cooking oils can also be treated and turned into biofuel replacements or traditional fossil fuels in industrial environments. Removal services in areas with access to such facilities are often willing to pay a restaurant owner a fraction of the price they are able to get per barrel of waste oil.

Another option that is growing rapidly in popularity comes from private individuals who have adopted the growing trend of using waste oil as fuel for automotive use. In the current rise of environmental consciousness, more and more individuals are exploring the use of greener and more cost efficient fuels. In the wake of this movement there has been a rise in the conversion of diesel engines to run on waste oil. The process is safe and relatively inexpensive and has a great appeal to those seeking to lessen their carbon footprint or to lessen the burden on their wallet from exorbitant traditional fuel prices. These individuals are more than willing to take waste oil off of a restaurant owners hands, solving the problem of waste removal for the owner and giving him the satisfaction of knowing that he too is playing a role in protecting the environment.

Waste oil is a normal and unavoidable aspect of restaurant operation, so it benefits the owner to survey the options available for its disposal before the grill is even fired for the first time. As demonstrated above, there are numerous options available to the owner, some of which can even prove beneficial to the business. It pays to do the research and find out what is accessible.

Biofuels are derived from the decomposition of biological or organic waste. Most biofuels are formed from plant matter. They are found in liquid, solid or gas states.

Biofuels differ from fossil fuels in some important ways.

• They are a completely renewable energy type

• They emit much fewer pollution-causing green house gases

• They can be produced in one crop season, unlike fossil years which took MILLIONS of years to form

There are different “generations” of biofuels. Let’s look at each.

• First generation biofuels come from sugar, other starches, as well as animal and vegetable oils. Examples include biodiesel and biogas.

• Second generation oils are derived from industrial waste products, such as wood chips. Ethanol biofuel, other alcohols and diesels fall into this classification.

• Algae biofuel is the third generation. These are highly renewable because the algae can be easily grown on a large scale and they decompose quickly and easily.

• Micro-organisms are utilized in forth generation biofuels. Like third generation, they decompose quickly and so have a low carbon footprint.

Now that we have learned about the various types, let’s examine biofuel advantages.

As previously stated, all biofuels are extremely renewable. They are therefore able to lessen our reliance on non-renewable fossil fuels.

Compared to the extraction, processing and transporting of fossil fuels, manufacturing biofuels is much less expensive. Everyone is looking for home energy saving tips these days.

Biofuels are more environmentally friendly. Less green house gasses are emitted from them than from fossil fuels.

Biofuel Disadvantages:

In the creation of first generation biofuels, huge amounts of land are needed. The crops tend to be lesser varieties of the original, say of corn, for example, making it unsuitable for human consumption. This reduces acreage for good food crops and shrinks food production. The price of edible corn has therefore gone up in recent years. This has been a topic of heated discussion with many arguments on both sides. The belief by those who protest large-scale production of food crops for biofuels is that food should be solely for eating. They maintain that many poor people have already been negatively impacted by the production of biofuels.

Biofuel creation also requires enormous amounts of material. With much land devoted to this, less is available for growing edible food crops. So, as more and more land is used for both food crops and for biofuels, there is less and less natural habit for ecosystems of plants and animals.

Another issue is that most biofuels are produced in relatively small quantities compared to the large-scale production of coal, oil and natural gas. It’s difficult to maintain a regular supply of biofuel, so it cannot always be counted on unless you have a reliable source.

For these reasons, many feel the best future use of biofuels will be in developing countries. Here, where fossil fuels may be in short supply or unaffordable, small-scale biofuel production may be a viable renewable energy type. In the Indian state of Bihar, for example, the resourceful citizens are converting biomass from human waste into biogas for electricity.

Weighing the advantages and disadvantages of biofuels, we can see that they are not the perfect green energy source. If you are lucky enough to live close to some kind of manufacturing facility where waste is produced which could be turned into biofuel, then that would be terrific.

If you’re looking for home energy saving tips though, you’ll probably want to take a closer look at wind and solar power solutions. The energy-conscious home owner will find many savings with these.