There's a lot of potential in algae, but recent research indicates roadblocks, too.

With our fossil fuels dwindling rapidly and no solid, concrete alternative, scientists remain scrambling for new, effective ways to generate energy. Among the influx of ideas include such natural biofuels as corn, canola, switchgrass, and ... algae.

The idea of using algae as a source of energy has generated a fair amount of excitement over the years. The overwhelming advantage to algae is that it can produce a lot of oil. Algae takes carbon dioxide out of the air for photosynthesis and turns it into fat that can be used as oil, up to 99 percent of which we can extract. While this process will not reduce the carbon dioxide in the air - algae takes it out, we put it right back in - it at least will not add more. The United States Department of Energy estimated that, if all petroleum fuel in the US was replaced with algae fuel, we would need just 15,000 square miles to grow the algae, a surprisingly small number - only a fraction of how much corn we grow already.

It is not surprising, then, that companies and the government have been funding research to try to make algae a viable option. The US Department of Energy invested $44 million on research in January and ExxonMobil has partnered up recently with researchers. Because algae provide oil, this research is not at odds with the interests of oil companies. Several companies grow algae and produce biofuel mostly in the form of biodiesel such as Solix, Algenol Biofuels, and Dow Chemical.

THE PROS:

Several factors contribute to the excitement in the idea of algae as a resource, in addition to the obvious high oil yield. Algae can also be grown without affecting fresh water resources - that is, there is absolutely no need to waste fresh water to grow algae. Algae can be grown in marine water and even in waste water.

Algae also require very little land to grow, are fairly harmless to the environment if spilled, and can be used for more than just oil. It is also worth noting that other potential biofuel providers, such as corn, are also used as food. With algae, no such conflict would arise.

These factors have generated an intense excitement in algae and made the aquatic plant something of a favorite among scientific communities for the future of our energy. However, it is not without serious drawbacks.

THE CONS:

At present, most immediate is the simple issue of cost. Algae are very difficult to harvest and the price is not feasible: algae-based biofuels usually cost five to ten dollars per kilogram. Of course, further research may find a way to simplify the processes and reduce that price tag... maybe.

A recent team of scientists have studied the costs of algae and the fingerprint its production is leaving on the environment. In order for algae to be competitive, current algae forms will need to use less fresh water, and less fertilizer. One idea is to put these farms closer to plants that already emit carbon dioxide or wastewater so that we can take proper advantage of the fact that algae does not need virgin materials. This would enormously help lower the toll on the resources. Much of algae are presently fed CO2 from tanks and nitrogen from fertilizers - horribly inefficient.

Fertilizers need not be necessary to provide nutrients to the growing plants: wastewater like sewage should be able to provide the very nutrition in a far easier manner.

THE FUTURE:

Algae farming is impractical right now - but this research indicates that these roadblocks might be overcome. Current practices in growing the substance do not take advantage of its strengths. When it comes down to it, the idea of algae as fuel is still very new, and we don't really know what we're doing, yet. Human beings have become quite good at harvesting corn, because we've had practice.

If the process is refined to the point of optimum efficiency, we may be putting algae-based oil in our cars in time. Let's keep our fingers crossed - we need something, fast, and whatever the price, algae still has some of the most promise.