Non trivial problem is an understatement.
To figure out how non trivial thoroughly dry the algae; when completely dry algae, like just about any plant material, has about the same energy pure unit of weight as petroleum or coal.
Weigh the completely dry algae and then compare this with the volume of water that you obtained the algae from. Scale this and you get an idea of the volume of water that would have to be handled to start harvesting realistic quantities of algae as an alternate energy source.
Algae have been grown on a small scale in research facilities and when their environment is enriched in CO2 and the results extrapolated to say they could be a viable source. What is being overlooked is that CO2 enrichment is not practical on a large scale and the energy consumed in processing enormous volumes of water don't seem to get detected from the potential yield.
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An open mind is a virtue...so long as all the common sense has not leaked out. |