Algae fuel, also called as algal fuel or second-generation biofuel, is a biofuel which is derived from algae. During the process of photosynthesis, algae and other photosynthetic organisms capture carbon dioxide and sunlight and convert it into oxygen and biomass. Biofuel from algae could be a meaningful part of the solution in the future because of its potential as an economically viable and low emissions transportation fuel.
High oil prices, competing demands between foods and other biofuel sources, and the world food crisis, have ignited interest in alga culture i-e, farming algae. Algae fix the sunlight and carbon dioxide into energy very speedily. Algae are more suitable over other bio-fuels because algae can grow anywhere. Practically they can grow anywhere, in sea-water or salty water or polluted water or even in sewage. Even they have the ability to bear extreme temperature.
Algae can grow on waste land, they multiply very fast. They can double their weight many times in a single day. Algae produce oil as a byproduct of photosynthesis and can produce fifteen times more oil per acre than other plants such as corn and switchgrass. The two main advantages of algae as biofuel are that these plants grow well where CO2 is in excess and secondly they can grow in sewages.
Algae can grow well on industrial solids, where carbon dioxide is available in excess; it can be helpful in dealing with industrial solids. Otherwise cleaning industrial solids is very costly. Algae can also be used to minimize the emissions of carbon dioxide of coal plants.
Naturally grown algae yield less oil, around one percent by the weight of the algae. So, if more carbon dioxide and organic material would be available to the algae, oil yield can be increased to as much as 40% by weight.
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