With oil prices rising to new highs seemingly every week, the argument over renewables, and the favorite tagline of the moment - “Energy Independence”, the answer is within reach. For golfers, fishermen, and pool owners, it is something you hate - algae.
Many species of algae, especially the blue-green variety, consists of over 50% oil. Of all plants that can be grown for oil, algae produces more gallons per acre than the rest combined! And this is without genetically modifying algae to produce the optimal amount.
Ethanol is proving to be a large waste of money and disappointingly raises food prices which hurts the poor people of the world even harder. It has proven to be an inefficient source for biodiesel based on power, conversation energy, and yield while not answering the energy crisis. Brazil has done a magnificent job with sugar cane for ethanol and turning it into a strong domestic fuel source and an international exporting business - except to the US. This is because the United States has created a protectionist tariff that prices it out of the market here. While the subject of free trade and agricultural products will be covered in another post, it is obvious the tariff is in the agrarian industry’s interest but not the average American consumer in regards to a cheaper, cleaner oil source and that is disappointing of both parties. Especially with the new energy bill, but politics later, energy now.
A UNH study shows that using a small percentage of American farm land to build ‘race track’ style algae farms, the United States could not only produce all needed domestic oil, but would also create a valuable source of exports and ways for other countries to become energy independent instead of relying on other nations. (Note: It should be stated that while we always demonize Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and Russia and energy mongers and a Cabal, Canada is our largest source of foreign oil.)
Taking the study’s conservative numbers of 10,000 gallons per acre of algae, the authors find that only 10 million acres would be needed. ONLY 10 million acres you say? While that sounds like a lot based on the sheer size, the reality is that it is a small portion of land currently used for agriculture and animal grazing in the US (over 1 billion acres!) The investment into the project and creating all the needed oil wouldn’t be cheap - $300 billion.
Again, a large sum however if it was created over 10 years at 30 billion a year, not including the money recouped with each crop being sold, would be a drop in the federal budget and less than .2 perecent of farm land in the US, while the benefits would be monumental.
First, the federal deficit wouldn’t take as big of a sting each year with billions pouring overseas for oil. Also, we would be creating jobs here in the US boosting the economy both on the farms and in the refineries. Environmentally, it is a bonus because creating it domestic will lower the carbon footprint as will using a renewable source of energy. Is it that simple? No, but to say we can be energy independent on a renewable source of energy in 10 years is something our politicians should at least push to try instead of lavishing rich, agri-businesses with money and stifling foreign renewable energy from coming into this country. Will the next President have the creativity and foresight to try something different? For our sakes, let’s hope so.
