Algae and the scale dilemma or how to transform a ‘curiosity’ into an industry
The biofuel sector finds itself in a bind, pummeled by the economic crisis and a shortage of funding. Also of concern, is ethanol’s poor environmental record. Nonetheless, algae continues to be seen as a promising feedstock that could revive the once promising biofuel industry. On paper, algae is attractive: it does not require large tracts of land to grow, and it is not a food crop, unlike corn or other sugar-based feedstocks that can tighten regional food supplies. Plus, it’s a carbon sink, because it requires large amounts of CO2 to grow.
GER recently caught up with OriginOil CEO Riggs Eckelberry, who provided an overview of the opportunities and challenges faced by this budding sector as it seeks to scale from a curiosity into a viable industry. Read More »
