Pennsylvania company on the cutting edge of biofuel production (prices, oil)

[Craziaskowboi]

Apparently a local company called BEAR Oceanics has developed a method of producing oil from algae. They've developed a solar- and wind-powered pontoon with a tank of algae inside a greenhouse.

When it's time to harvest oil, a mild electrical current makes the most productive algae cells burst, releasing oil to the top of the tank. They've been able to produce five gallons of oil per day from just one pontoon, at a cost of 30 to 60 cents per gallon.

Some of the advantages to their system:

1. Because the pontoons are small, the scale is small enough to be accessible to individual people and small businesses.

2. It's powered entirely by solar and wind power, and the required energy input is minimal.

3. The six kinds of algae they use are hardy, and have been proven to grow during the late fall, winter and early spring.

4. They're not that expensive to build, requiring only $1,200 and 140 man hours.

The company is also using thermal depolymerization to turn the oil into biodiesel, which uses heat and pressure instead of toxic chemicals the way most biodiesels are currently made. And any waste products are recycled to help grow more algae.

Just an interesting article I found to make us hopeful for the future during a time of high gas prices.

[lititzman2003]

Perfect timing. Thanks for sharing.