As I read all the e-mails about this proposed switch grass "experiment", I kept wondering if the discussion would better include a broader comparison to include the rapidly emerging alternative fuels from algae.

 

At the core of the discussion is the need to transition away from fossil fuels and the sooner the better.  That of course has two advantages.  It will slow stop and reverse global warming as we certainly must do, includes getting rid of the horrors of MTR. 

 

But on the alternative fuels developments, I offer the following.

 

I am not a chemical or agricultural engineer, but an industrial engineer currently well into the potential for carbon fiber and other advanced composites, ironically enough, as a carbon reducing footprint for commercial aircraft.  With my colleagues, I am developing some interesting potential green and clean manufacturing to accomplish a reduction in the use of jet fuel.

 

I bore you with this preamble so you may understand where I am coming from in reporting the little I know about the development of jet and diesel fuels from algae. 

 

While switch grass still is along way off from being a source of bio fuels, as the WVU scientists stated, crude oil from algae is already into pilot production for jet fuel and diesel for jet aircraft and over the road diesel trucks.

 

Here's Wikipedia" introduction:

 

 

The potential yield rates of algae are quantum leaps over switch grass, soy and corn based ethanols.  While the ethanols run in the range of 4 to maybe 12 barrels per acre, and are seasonal, some literature suggests that algae based oils, "Oilgae", are predicted to be possible up in the range of 10,000 barrels per acre, and harvested all year long... a little higher than Wikipedia reports, so who knows who is right.

 

The literature seems to suggest that the most productive algae farms will probably be located near salt water, like an ocean or where there are brackish water salt flats as in California, New Mexico and Utah.  So I am not sure there is promise for algae farming for West Virginia, but it might happen in the future.   The yield rates would seem to me to suggest that WVU might be better focused on algae research than trying to put switch grass derived lipstick on the MTR pigs.  (With apologies to the pigs of the world.)

 

WVU scientists are also conducting experiments to develop modern coal derived gasoline, diesel and jet fuel...better known as the "coals to liquid" process.  At a recent PEA meeting, one of the lead researchers enthusiastically bragged that WVU is the only University in the country that is doing so, Scientific American and many others not withstanding.  When I asked, "Why do you suppose that is...do you see any significance in that?", he did not offer an answer. 

 

But I digress. Back to algae fuels. 

 

Very promising advancements of algae fuels have been accomplished around the world and right here in West Virginia in a private research Laboratory in Wheeling.  (It is a lab where I am involved with my development work.)

 

Sir Richard Branson, CEO of Virgin Atlantic, has already announced he will fly one of his Boeing 747's on algae fuel next year. I seem to recall he is working with a University in Holland or Belgium.  

 

Another airline that I am familiar with is experimenting with algae produced diesel fuel for their ground support equipment, aircraft tow vehicles, etc.   Jet fuel and diesel fuel are evidently close cousins chemically, and they too may be trying it in an aircraft next year.

 

If I were a betting man, I would bet that algae will overcome and be the bio fuel source of economic and technical choice within the next five years....maybe ten....enabling us to achieve Al Gore's challenge to be fossil fuels free in 10 years.

 

It will be interesting to watch these developments.

 

Keep on challenging...

 

Allan