Comments on: Is Jatropha Curcas Biodiesel Losing out to Algae Biodiesel?

By: Black_Hand

Black_Hand — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 18:29:53 +0000

Has any one actually seen an Algae Bio fuel prototype/

By: chemicallygreen.com

chemicallygreen.com — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:31:00 +0000

@GreenIt: Thanks for your comments. Please check out the comments left by Bill at Home. The algae in the ocean created by fertilizer run off is not suitable for biodiesel production.

By: chemicallygreen.com

chemicallygreen.com — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 21:20:57 +0000

@Michel: Thanks for your comments. I agree with you.

By: chemicallygreen.com

chemicallygreen.com — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 21:19:36 +0000

@Bill: Thanks for your comments.
Several companies are growing algae biofuels. Do you mean 10 years before algae biofuels are perfected in India or 10 years before algae biofuels will be perfected for producing biodiesel? Jatropha can only be grown in temperate zones in the world and algae biofuels can be processed in various places all over the world. Check out this link:
http://www.circlebio.com/algae_biodiesel_photobioreactors.htm

By: chemicallygreen.com

chemicallygreen.com — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 21:00:57 +0000

@Jack Brandis:Thank you for your comments
Seems several companies are growing algae biodiesel. Check out this link:
http://www.circlebio.com/algae_biodiesel_photobioreactors.htm

By: Michel

Michel — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:10:00 +0000

I think algae biofuel will be great for the environment and the reduction of our dependence upon petroleum oil. Jatropha biodiesel has its place as well. There are difference land areas where each can work well with local labor and land quality.

By: Atul Saxena

Atul Saxena — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 05:08:35 +0000

Thanks for the great article. In our opinion there can be multiple solutions to feedstock problems faced by Biofuel producers. Algae & Jatropha both form the part of solution. It is indeed correct that Algae is 10 times more productive than Jatropha. It is also true that algae is yet to be commercialized while Jatropha is already on the path of commercialization. So what should be the right approach?

The main goal of Jatropha plantation should be to reclaim wasteland, act as carbon sinks, produce employment for rural masses & also produce feedstock for Biofuel industry. The short term goal of Algae farming should be to reclaim nutrients from waste water streams and recycle CO2 emissions from power plants to convert them to Biofuels.

These steps can really help us in short term. Incidently I am the person named as Saxena in the article. You can reach me for further discussions at ceo@growdieselmail.com.

Atul Saxena,
CEO & Founder,
Growdiesel Climate Care Council,
India

By: Bill at home

Bill at home — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 03:32:03 +0000

I would say too keep dreaming for the next ten or so years Algae will perhaps one day replace Jatropha but not in the near future,
Harvesting Algae is still a unknown science and still in the lab.
The Algae in the ocean created from fertilizer run of is not suitable for oil production. ( recent Olympic games in China proved this)

By: GreenIT

GreenIT — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:46:19 +0000

Wouldn’t it be great if the farm fertilizer runoff problem (which causes algae blooms) could somehow be consumed at the same time that algae is grown for biodiesel? I wonder if the production of this algae could be situated in a way that it would help clean up coastal “dead zones.”

By: Jock Brandis

Jock Brandis — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:46:18 +0000

There are still unresolved algae problems. It needs some form of phosphate to be added to the water.
If algae is grown in open ponds, the high lipid varieties will soon be contaminated and diluted by low yielding ones.
Enclosed growing with a certain amount of seawater involved to provide trace nutrients seems to be the best hope.