Boeing Helping to Develop Algae-Powered Jet

jon_cooper writes "Air New Zealand, Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation and Boeing are working together to develop and test a bio-fuel derived from algae. Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation began operating in May last year after it met a request from the local council to deal with excess algae on sewage ponds. Boeing's Dave Daggett was reported this year as saying algae ponds totaling 34,000 square kilometers could produce enough fuel to reduce the net CO2 footprint for all of aviation to zero."

Comments

Re:Save the Fish

[Red Flayer]

One of the clearest signs of global warming (human-caused or otherwise) is an increase in algae using up waterborne oxygen and causing fish deaths.

Huh? Algae produces O2, it doesn't use it up. Algae growth becomes a concern due to global warming and related issues because it thrives in a high-carbon high-temperature environment.

The fish deaths are not due to oxygen deprivation from the algae; rather, some algae blooms produce toxins that kill off fish. In smaller waters (like ponds and slow-moving rivers) algae exerts downward pressure on fish populations by outcompeting other organisms in the fish's food web.

While low oxygen concentrations are sometimes observed in waters with a high algae content, this is typically due to low aeration and warm water.

It's not that hard to come up with that land...

[Nitack]

This is actually very practical. Popular Science just ran an article on algae fuel in their print edition last month, although I can't find it on their website.

Regardless, many companies are experimenting with this and it is much more efficient then corn or any other sort of biofuel production. As for the 34,000 square kilometers, you don't need ponds to do it. Many companies are using clear plastic bags to do it. Think zip-lock bags. The algae only needs water, sunlight, and CO2 to reproduce, and fast. This process can take place anywhere, even in non-desirable desert lands that get plenty of sunlight. The land is cheap, not in competition with cities and other industries because quite frankly, it is a desert. I imagine that once this becomes viable (still in the research and refinement stages) Arizona and New Mexico will have a major industry popping up.

Re:Save the Fish

[Red Flayer]

It isn't the algae that deplete the oxygen, it's the bacteria that feed on the dead algae. Note also that some of the toxins from algal blooms come from these bacteria as well. The problem with fertilizer runoff is that the algae reproduces unsustainably, so that when it begins dying off, the system cannot cope with the plunge in O2 concentrations. This is exacerbated by high water temps and low flow rate.

In a system where the algae is harvested for biodiesel, this is not a concern, since dead algae doesn't accumulate.

Re:serious response to funny post

[Analogy Man]

Actually there is a distinction beween stopway and clearway. Stopway needs to have an LCN (load bearing capacity) similar to runway surface to support the aircraft. The clearway is there so there are not physical or visual obstructions.

There are many instances where the effective clearway is a body of water.

These ponds do not need to be so deep that they would constitute a hazard for the plane sinking into the depths. In fact if they were less than a meter deep and the bottom was firm (concrete) the water would actually provide a relatively safe place for the plane to come to rest (dissipating a great deal of energy).