Bloomin' green energy key to Exxon's 'scum back'
Most oil companies are backing away from renewable energy but ExxonMobil has just announced plans to invest $600 million in developing a 'green' fuel from the scum of the Earth: algae.
Algae are life's arch ascetics. Tiny plants, they have tiny demands (just a whiff of waste CO2, a dash of dirty water and a sprinkling of sunlight, if you please) yet manufacture huge quantities of oil.
Within five years, Exxon and its new partner in grime, Synthetic Genomics, hope to have engineered a strain of algae that secretes an 'economically viable, low net carbon emission transportation fuel', according to its vice president of research and development, Emil Jacobs.
'Algaculture', as it's referred to by some, makes a lot of sense if reducing greenhouse gas emissions is your priority. Not only do algae eat three times their own weight in CO2, but Exxon intends to 'fatten' them on waste greenhouse gas that would otherwise have been pumped into the atmosphere by nearby factories.
Can't the algal farms suck carbon dioxide straight out of the atmosphere, erasing fossil fuels from the equation altogether? 'Sadly not', says Dr Jacobs. 'It's not economically viable right now to extract CO2 from the air.'
What's more, algae are ferociously productive: up to 40 times more productive than soy, according to Exxon's calculations. That doesn't mean algal farms won't take up a lot of land if they become a hit, of course. 'It's too early to predict how much land it would require to produce algae fuel on a large scale', notes Dr Jacobs. 'But it won't be a trivial amount of space'.
Follow up: BP brings 'green era' to a close
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~35~RS~)
Comments
I am surprised there have been no comments in the 3 hours since this has been posted. You boys normally post within seconds. Anyone would think it's your job...
Perhaps the subject matter has silenced the ExxonMobil paid bloggers?
I wonder if the contract of employment states that they're not allowed to comment on anything that mentions the company.
Complain about this comment
This idea originated with a researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and its developer set up a company - Greenfuel - to promote it. The idea itself seems promising.
http://www.greenfuelonline.com/technology.html
Other companies are trialling Greenfuel's methods, but if Exxon have now also decided to look at using algae (BP is also looking at this) and are serious about it, then all well and good.
We'll have to see how much actual investment Exxon put into this - that this isn't just some 'greenwash' on their part to try and look more environmentally friendly in other words. But their partner does seem serious.
Synthetic Genomics is owed by the Gene Venter, the guy who ran a parallel version of the human genome project for commercial purposes. He has had a long standing interest in finding algae and bacteria to use to consume CO2.
His human genome sequence is patented, so I also have concerns about whether the algae they intend using could be patented, or even eventually genetically modified and made available only through Synthetic Genomics?
However a variety of types of algae seem to be able to be used in this method, and other companies are pursuing their own lines of research (I understand bacteria could also be used), so this might be a viable idea that could be widely used.
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2006-01-10-algae-powerplants_x.htm
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12834398/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jul/14/green-algae-exxon-mobil
http://www.hrbp.com/Algae/AlgaeSolution.html
Complain about this comment
Well, as it's a slow comments day:- Noted climate sceptic blogger and contrarian environmentalist Jennifer Marohasy has not had her contract renewed by the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA); she was a Senior Fellow. Interestingly, the IPA is a right-wing think-tank. There appears to have been a 'falling out'.
The IPA key policy positions include: advocacy for privatisation and deregulation; attacks on the positions of unions and non-government organisations and refutation of the science involved with environmental issues such as climate change. (Such open mindedness.)
"I am going to have to find a new job, or perhaps start a small business (If anyone is interested in antique Asian pottery I have a collection for sale.). But I am giving myself some time while I ponder, to continuing writing my first work of fiction - a dystopian fiction based in a remote Indonesian fishing village."
http://jennifermarohasy.com/blog/2009/07/jennifer-marohasy-leaves-the-ipa/
Complain about this comment
Are you looking at a different IPA think-tank ?
The Australian IPA website states their position:
"The Institute of Public Affairs examines climate change and environmental policy from an evidence based perspective. The IPA also prioritizes making rational assessments of the economics and practicalities of carbon dioxide reduction proposals. Knee-jerk government policies in response to activist campaigning can have far-reaching economic implications while achieving no environmental benefit."
This is very different from Tim's straw man caricature.
Complain about this comment
The IPA is also described here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Institute_of_Public_Affairs
It is well known in Australia for being a libertarian think tank.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/thinkers-of-influence/2005/12/09/1134086810518.html
Interestingly, Prof. Ian Pilmer (author of Heaven and Hell, the book currently promoted in The Spectator) was formerly listed as an 'Associate' of the Institute of Public Affairs, whilst noted Australian sceptic Bob Carter is a member of the Institute of Public Affairs.
The IPA was involved in the launch and promotion of Pilmer's book.
http://www.ipa.org.au/publications/1679/controversial-bestselling-book-on-climate-change-to-be-launched-in-melbourne
http://jennifermarohasy.com/blog/2009/03/heaven-and-earth-new-book-by-ian-plimer/
Is it me, or is there a common thread here?
Complain about this comment
"A dystopian fiction based in a remote Indonesian fishing village". Is she drawing parallels between herself and Aldous Huxley?
Complain about this comment
Shanta, the current thought is that she's been writing fiction for years, so she might as well come clean...
Complain about this comment
Hi Shanta !
You've blogged about a Spectator angle on a skeptical book. Maybe you or some of the bloggers and trolls on here could recommend me a true alarmists' bible. Something that spells out a clear alarmist gospel.
It would have to cover:
1) evidence to support the beliefs
2) clear predictions of the looming disaster - times, places, events
3) what mankind must do to avoid 2 - who, what, when
I don't want any rubbish about the year 2099 - too futuristic
It's also got to be readable.
And precise - I don't want any of this "between 1 metres and 20 metres rise in sea-level" vaguery
Complain about this comment
" It would have to cover:
1) evidence to support the beliefs"
Uhm you seem to be talking about denialists.
"2) clear predictions of the looming disaster - times, places, events"
What? Like your "we'll be living in the middle ages" alarmism?
Again, you seem to be talking about the denialists here.
"3) what mankind must do to avoid 2 - who, what, when"
And according the the denailists, they really don't know who what or when their dire prediction of economic disaster on mitigation actions will occur.
Complain about this comment
#8. You could start here:
http://www.ipcc.ch/
(Hardcopies of the full reports are published by the Cambridge University Press.)
Complain about this comment
Something to read if you REALLY think you're a skeptic.
http://chem.tufts.edu/AnswersInScience/RelativityofWrong.htm
And just a good read from Arthur C Clarke.
Complain about this comment
View these comments in RSS