This is an email I received yesterday:

Hi, clean and green,

I am Joyce Lee, a student from Foothill College in Mountain View, C.A.. I am doing a research about green collar jobs, and i am very interested about "Algae Biofuel." I have read the "Biodiesel and SVO discussion forums," and would like to interview for your opinions on some questions about the develoopment of algae biofuel. Would you mind spending some time for the following interview questions? Also, would you mind giving me your name for reference? I will be greatful if you do me this favor. Thank you very much!!

1 What are advantages and disadvantages of using algae biofuel?
2 What are the jobs created by algae biofuel production? and what are the education background required?
3 What do you think of the future of algae biofuel?
4 I am a student of Biotechnology; where should I start or how can i get involved in the projects of Algae Biofuel in the near future?
5 How can Algae Biofuel benefit the community as a whole, especially people in polluted or less wealthy areas?
6 What do you think the Government can do to help in the project or promotion of it? What is the role of the Government in algae biofuel production?
7 How can the public be involved in the projects of Algae Biofuel?
8 What are the current issues or burning questions about Algae Biofuel, and what are your opinions on them?


Thank you for spending the time^^!!
Joyce

This message has been edited. Last edited by: clean and green,

I replied that I would be happy to give my view on these questions, but I'm sure this lady wouldn't mind hearing what many people have to say. I'll post my answers here. She raises some really important points that are being debated right now in academia and business alike.

1 What are advantages and disadvantages of using algae biofuel?

From a chemistry standpoint, oil from algae makes biodiesel of a quality equal to soy, canola, or sunflower oil. Economically, the problem is that oil from algae is currently a very limited, niche market, so it costs an awful lot. However, much like the how the small glycerin market was affected by increased supplies from biodiesel production, increased availability doesn't necessarily mean increased consumption (we don't wash our hands more because glycerin soap is cheap), so it is possible algae oil prices could start to tumble when the first few dozen large-scale producers come on line.

2 What are the jobs created by algae biofuel production? and what are the education background required?

Jim Sears discusses this extensively in the webinar posted here. See slides 9-10, 28-29, and 36. What he outlines is the Algal Biomass Association's desire to establish industrial standards for algae ahead of time, to help work out the bugs that plagued ethanol and soy biodiesel before they have a chance to mess up the emerging industry. For instance, power plant operators have to know why they are doing extra scrubbing on their emissions before the CO2 rich flue gas is fed to the new algae farms.

He also mentions that job creation will be one person to several acres of ponds. I think it is useful to see it as oil-field jobs in the mideast being replaced slowly by 'oil-field' jobs in the U.S. American farmers already have a lot of the skill-sets necessary, since algae growing is just high-tech farming. Education background will run the gamut - there will be a need for engineers which the U.S. is running desperately short of...

3 What do you think of the future of algae biofuel?

We will never finish learning about what algae can do.

4 I am a student of Biotechnology; where should I start or how can i get involved in the projects of Algae Biofuel in the near future?

Visit the Algal Biomass Organization website and get involved in helping to write the technical standards for the energing industry.

5 How can Algae Biofuel benefit the community as a whole, especially people in polluted or less wealthy areas?

There's a really good article I saw on either Finland or another European Nation that has been treating its municipal waste with algae for a long time. Not for the oil: they burn the biomass for electricity. Will keep looking for a story to link here cause it pretty much answers that question.

6 What do you think the Government can do to help in the project or promotion of it? What is the role of the Government in algae biofuel production?

At the very least fund more research like they used to. Stop subsidizing petroleum but then we'd be at $6 a gallon in the U.S. which would shut the nation down...

7 How can the public be involved in the projects of Algae Biofuel?

Algae farming will involve cooperation from people involved in water conservation, waste run-off on dairy farms, air quality groups that sue and pressure coal power plants, etc etc. People who are interested in energy security, environmentalism, whatever, should dig past the hype and start learning the science of algae, as found on this forum. Lastly, letters and emails to congressmen and senators seem to still have some affect.

8 What are the current issues or burning questions about Algae Biofuel, and what are your opinions on them?

I think the number one issue is realizing that algae is very similar to soybeans as a source of liquid fuels. Both have limited levels of naturally occurring oils that can be used today as fuel. Increasing the amount of oil is difficult, dangerous, and unnecessary. Both plants have some sugars and starches that can be made into ethanol. Both make high-protein, nutritious feed for animals, and healthy supplements for humans. Both have environmental impacts in the growing and harvesting aspect. Algae right now is very much like where biodiesel was in 1999.

Lessons can be learned from the past, and disappointments and setbacks should be looked at not with dismay, but as an opportunity to learn and grow and do things right if we're going to do them at all.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: clean and green,

Google Lindsay Williams. Someone on this board doesn't like that name since the correct spelling, with an 'sey' versus 'say' brings up an 'admin approval' page. Within a day or two the incorrect spelling of Lindsay will probably also be flagged so expect these posts to 'disappear'. Try it yourself. Yes I am posting this to a bunch of pages since I smell a big fat rat!!! Google Lindsay Williams!!!