InnovationNewsDaily reports on B.E.A.R. Oceanics, which is developing robotic biodiesel farms that would float on the water and use algae to generate fuel.
The biodiesel relies upon a sludgy mixture of six organisms, including the blue-green spirulina algae and Azolla water fern. Such a mixture has proved capable of not only doubling its mass every 92 minutes inside a lab at Rutgers University, but also growing in the harsher environment of a Pennsylvania greenhouse from late summer through winter and spring.
"The whole basis of this system is that you use indigenous biomass, so you don't have the problems of invasive species in the environment," (engineer Rudy) Behrens explained. "You certainly don't have the problems of using bioengineered organisms."
Then it's time for harvest. A mild electric current bursts the algae cells to release lipid oils that will eventually turn into biodiesel. The robotic farm ends up with something like hydrogenated vegetable oil floating on the surface, even as the remaining sludge gets recycled into growing more algae.
Original source: InnovationNewsDaily
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