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Cultivation of algae

Biological material for energy purposes can be an important contribution to the low-emission society of the future. However, the production must not come into conflict with food production, or use up dwindling resources of fresh water. Algae and new energy crops can be among the solutions to these challenges.

Much of our fossil reserves consists of billion-year-old algae that have sunk to the seabed and been turned into oil. The algae of the past have given us oil, and environmental problems. More and more people believe that cultivation of algae can be among the future energy and environmental solutions. In 2009 several airlines carried out test flights with algae-based fuels in the tank. Both in Britain and in the U.S. large amounts of public money are being spent to stimulate research and development work with the goal of attaining large-scale commercial production of algae.

Algae are amongst the fastest-growing organisms known to man and are not particularly fussy about the conditions under which they grow. They can grow in fresh water, salt water or waste water. They grow well in areas that are unsuitable for growing food, and therefore do not come into conflict with food production, or with conservation areas. Algae cultivation can be a relatively inexpensive and simple way of producing environmentally-friendly energy in poor countries. Rather than buying expensive and dirty oil, poor countries can produce their own fuel and other forms of energy. Algae can be used for fodder (animal feed), fuel and fertiliser.

“Algae” is a common term used to describe tens of thousands of different species. Most of these have been little researched. Seaweed is macro-algae, but most species of algae cannot be seen with the naked eye and are therefore termed micro-algae. The cultivation of micro-algae can occur in open systems such as small pools or ponds, or in so-called photo-bioreactors.

In the Sahara Forest Project, both solutions to the problem will be tested. All algae utilize sunlight through photosynthesis. As well as water, they need CO2 and nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus in order to grow. Algae cultivation in areas rich in nitrogen and phosphorus could therefore solve local pollution, as well as constitute a future source of environmentally friendly energy.