In the near future, we might witness the weirdest gas stations ever – pools teeming with algae considered for biofuel sources. Netherlands is leading the way in processing algae to ultimately produce biofuel. Several companies in this country are considering algae farms for this purpose. The Aviation Industry is also eyeing it as jet fuel for the future. Algae are also used in various other ways like source of animal feed, an important component in skin medication, biodegradable plastics, paints, resins etc.
The simplest of plants are now perceived fit for the ‘green future’. Algae are used for their various characteristics, like the ability to intake and hold large amounts of carbon dioxide and they have fast reproductive capabilities. Though algae have been used to produce biofuel for a long time now, the process has never been cost effective, and the fuel could not be produced in commercial quantities.
Alternative fuels are the only option for the future, to decrease the extensive dependence on fossil fuels. Production of alternative fuels on the other hand, is an ethical issue, especially when it depends on the reproduction rate of organisms. Production of biofuels from food crops or on algal farms will always be a conflict, in terms of land and water being expensive resources. Not to mention, they also might interfere with the existing ecosystems, be it in terms of monoculture or algal bloom.
Source: CNN