Is Algae Biodiesel the Fuel of the Future?

With gas prices soaring more and more people are looking for alternative fuel sources. Most everyone has heard of biodiesel made of corn, soybeans, and even waste oil (think leftover french fry oil), but with these alternatives not yet widespread most consumers are still dependent on gasoline. Some people are taking control of their energy needs by making their own fuel at home; the most notable material used for home fuel production is waste oil but it is not the only option. Algae biodiesel is a fuel alternative that has great potential for both home and widespread production. It is possible to make your own biodiesel from algae at home and mass production will not use up food crops like corn or soybeans.

Many people believe that biodiesel is the best solution to our oil dependence problem, but biodiesel made from food crops and even waste oil has some distinct disadvantages. Using food crops such as corn and soybeans displaces the crop that would have gone to consumers for food, and in turn will cause food prices to rise if it is used for wide scale biodiesel production. Corn and soybeans also produce much less fuel per acre than algae does. An acre of algae can produce as much as 15000 gallons of biodiesel per year whereas an acre of soybeans can only produce 50 gallons or so and corn only 20 gallons. This huge discrepancy in efficiency is why algae biodiesel is quickly becoming the most popular form of alternative fuel.

It would only take 15,000 square miles of algae farms to produce enough biodiesel per year to fuel all of the cars, trucks, and other gas powered vehicles in the US. That may seem like a lot, but if it was all produced at one farm you would need a piece of land 120 miles wide by 125 miles long. Or, if it was divided between all 50 states you would only need 300 square miles per state, something that is definitely doable even in smaller states.

Another advantage of algae biodiesel is that consumers can make their own fuel at home. Many people have taken to producing biodiesel from waste oil at home, and while it takes the right supplies and know-how to produce algae biodiesel for yourself it is possible. This allows consumers to take control of their energy needs and takes some of the power away from big energy producers. With no end in sight for soaring gas prices, alternatives like algae biodiesel are taking position to reduce or even eliminate our dependence on oil.