What is Algae?
Algae are small aquatic organisms which are composed of oils (lipids), protein and carbohydrates
Algae oil has similar chemical composition to crude oil (most crude was previously algae, phytoplankton, etc) so when refined, this produces a fuel which can run on our existing vehicles and pipelines without requiring conversion of infrastructure
Absorb carbon dioxide during their growth which is then released during combustion thus producing a fuel that does not increase the carbon concentration in the atmosphere
Algae are very efficient at converting sunlight into biomass and can produce 5x – 10x more oil per surface area of sunlight than traditional crops (sugarcane, corn, rapeseed, etc)
Do not have food vs. fuel challenges as algae can grow in seawater and grow on non-agricultural land
Clean up wastewater because algae absorbs nitrate and phosphate during its growth
In summary, algae are ideal organisms to help the world produce sustainable fuels and feed while minimizing secondary environmental impacts