Pre-publication Opinion on Benefits of Algae Biofuel Article

[lalaith]

I’m planning on posting this piece on my website this weekend.

Algae biofuel is not an area I’ve ever worked with, only read about.

I don’t know anyone knowledgeable in this area. So the next best thing is people who are knowledgeable generally, so I thought I’d post it here.

What I am specifically requesting is feedback on have I made any obvious factual errors or have any gaping holes in my logic in what I’m presenting? (The article is targeted to laypeople.)

Pond Scum, Civilization’s Savior? ---- The Potential of Algae Biofuel to Alter the World’s Economy, Environment and Politics

Thank you to anyone who takes their time to assist with this.

[Kent_Clark]

I tried to PM you about your article, but it seems your account isn’t set up for private messages.

I’ll keep this brief. I think your article needs a much more critical look about what algae needs to become economically viable, as well as serious consideration of the environmental costs and tradeoffs that come from growing and processing that amount of biomass. I know you want to keep this on a layperson level, but ignoring potential negatives is not the way to do it.

[lalaith]

@kunilou

I tried to PM you about your article, but it seems your account isn’t set up for private messages.

Didn’t realize it had to be enabled, but have now done so.

I’ll keep this brief. I think your article needs a much more critical look about what algae needs to become economically viable, as well as serious consideration of the environmental costs and tradeoffs that come from growing and processing that amount of biomass. I know you want to keep this on a layperson level, but ignoring potential negatives is not the way to do it.

I appreciate you taking the time to read it as it’s almost 3000 words long.

I don’t think this article would be the appropriate place for that. And, frankly, it’s not information I have. I know it currently costs a minimum $8.00 a gallon to make. Exactly why it costs $8.00 a gallon other than low yields and the investment of designing their own algae (both of which I mention), I could not say as that’s not the kind of information that the biofuel companies are going to release to the general public. Their specific technological challenges are going to be proprietary information.

serious consideration of the environmental costs and tradeoffs that come from growing and processing that amount of biomass.

It’s less than corn. Maybe I should see if I could find those numbers — the amount of land that the US and Brazil devote to growing crops for ethanol which is not a crude oil replacement. Hmm, definitely have to see if I can dig those up.

I know you want to keep this on a layperson level, but ignoring potential negatives is not the way to do it.

Will have to disagree with you there. Have read many articles about algae biofuel and other than it’s expensive and a ways away (both of which I mention), they pretty much all don’t discuss other negatives.

Thanks again for taking the time to read it and for your input!