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Researchers Pooh-Pooh Algae-Based Biofuel

Julie188 writes "Researchers from the University of Virginia have found that current algae biofuel production methods consume more energy, have higher greenhouse gas emissions and use more water than other biofuel sources, such as switchgrass, canola and corn. The researchers suggest these problems can be overcome by situating algae production ponds behind wastewater treatment facilities to capture phosphorous and nitrogen — essential algae nutrients that otherwise need to come from petroleum."

13 of 238 comments (clear)

  1. Poo-poo ? by polar+red · · Score: 3, Funny

    Melchett: Is this true Blackadder? Did Capt. Darling poo-poo you?
    Blackadder: Well, perhaps a little.
    Melchett: Well then damn it all what more evidence do you need? The poo-pooing alone is a court martial offense!
    Blackadder: I can assure you, sir, that the poo-pooing was purely circumstantial.
    Melchett: Well I hope so, ...Blackadder, you know, if there's one thing I've learned from being in the army, it's never ignore a poo-poo. I knew a major, got poo-pood made the mistake of ignoring the poo-poo. He poo-pood it: Fatal error. Becuase it turned out all along that the soldier who poo-pood him had been poo-pooing alot of other officers who poo-pood their poo-poos. In the end we had to disband the regiment. Morale totally destroyed.....................by poo-poo.

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    Yes, I'm left. You have a problem with that?
  2. Re:Reserachers? by GrosTuba · · Score: 2, Funny

    Reserachers?
    I bet they are craptacualr...

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    Who needs a .sig anyway ?
  3. Pooh vs Poo by igadget78 · · Score: 2, Funny

    At least they didn't poo-poo the algae.

  4. Also by killmenow · · Score: 5, Funny

    Christopher Robin was unavailable for comment.

  5. Re:Reserachers? by Stavr0 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Timothy, please spell check your title.

    Oh, bother.

  6. Re:People don't realise this... by AP31R0N · · Score: 5, Funny

    [Citation Needed]
                \O/
                  |
                / \

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    Utilizing the synergization of benchmark e-solutions to pre-workaround action items!
  7. quick by commodoresloat · · Score: 4, Funny

    someone inform Cheney of the news

  8. Re:Energy is conserved by law of physics by Hognoxious · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm not worried about living next to a nuclear power plant. I grew up right near one... Just a mile or two outside of town. Of course I'm not the average American, so I can see your point...

    I'm not being judgmental against you here, but it's true that one head, two eyes is the norm.

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    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  9. Re:Energy is conserved by law of physics by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Oh yeah? Well you know what nuclear power plants emit? Water vapor. The silent killer.

  10. Haven't you seen the BP ads? by BetterSense · · Score: 2, Funny

    He's not the only one that failed chemistry. BP is now selling gasoline that is "fortified with the power of Nitrogen". Seriously. I hear it has what plants crave.

  11. Re:Energy is conserved by law of physics by SixFactor · · Score: 2, Funny

    I used to work there. Good people.

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    Science never settles, never rests.
  12. Re:People don't realise this... by couchslug · · Score: 2, Funny

    "but arable farming uses an unholy amount of petrochemicals. "

    Begging the question of what is a "holy" amount of petrochemicals....

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    "This post is an artistic work of fiction and falsehood. Only a fool would take anything posted here as fact."
  13. Re:And ecologically dangerous too by scottv67 · · Score: 2, Funny

    >Financial pressure would inevitably produce a nice robust algae that produced biofuel that needed minimal or no refinement. In other words, you'd have an organic self-replicating oil producing machine.

    Take this, accidentally let samples escape into ocean. See ocean die. Die. Die. Die.

    I have a simple solution that involves algae-eating lizards, Chinese needle snakes and gorillas.