Algae is a Promising Butanol Feedstock too
The energy products from algae are always under expansion.
Biodiesel, Ethanol, Hydrogen, Methane, Syngas and the list extends to Butanol …
The University of Arkansas is working on a project converting algae — with low levels of lipids, but high levels of sugars — into butanol, which could be used in automobiles. The project came about after the university began working with companies who were using algae to clean up nitrogen and phosphorous from a tributary system. The researchers have developed a more efficient means of fermenting the algae, and separating out the sugars that can be converted to butanol. A small unit that can take dry algae and convert it to fuel-grade butanol has been developed
The idea behind the research is that farmers could grow algae on up to an acre of land, turn that algae into fuel and then use the fuel to run farm equipment. The algae waste that’s not turned into fuel can be used as fertilizer. If the whole process is made economically viable, it could be used to power vehicles too. But the researchers feel that it would take five to 10 years to achieve this.
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