Algae Biomass Gasification

Algae has been a hot topic lately as a possible solution to most of our fuel and food needs. Nearly half of an alga's mass is made up of lipids (think veggie oil) that can be used in the production of biofuels. With projected yields that trump other crops and the ability to be grown on marginal lands, algae is getting alot of people excited.

So what do you do with the other half of the biomass? Well, that is where gasification comes into play. Algae biomass can be densified and used as a fuel source to create even more bio-fuel. Gasification exhaust, mainly carbon dioxide and nitrogen, can be used to enhance the algae's growth rate and lower emissions, thus making a productive symbiotic relationship.

Here is a video with a bit of background on algae. It's a little light on the gasification aspects, but it is still an interesting watch: Aaron Baum, PHD was the presenter. His site is AlgaeLab.org