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Algae as Biofuel: Sustainable Alternative to Oil in Today's World

Learn how cultivating algae as a biofuel can offer a sustainable alternative to the environmental impacts and declining availability of crude oil. Discover the benefits, high biofuel yields, and fast-growing nature of algae as a fuel source. Dive deep into the potential of algae cultivation to reduce greenhouse gases and provide a cleaner energy solution for the future.

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Algae as Biofuel: Sustainable Alternative to Oil in Today's World

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  1. Algae as a Fuel Source By Megan Kocher, Brianna Rowland, Michael Palladino, and Paige Thomas

  2. Oil in our World Today • Crude oil- naturally occurring oil • Unrefined petroleum product • Fossil fuel • Non-renewable resource • The United States used 7.26 billion barrels in 2016 • (Pienkos)

  3. Oil in Our World Today • Oil discoveries have been declining since 1964 • Projections show by 2030 there will be virtually no crude oil left to drill • (Holodny)

  4. Oil In our World Today • In 2016 the EPA stated the world uses 96 million barrels of oil each day • One barrel equals 45 gallons • To obtain this oil we drill and frack • These harsh methods are affecting our environment and depleting our resources (Pienkos)

  5. Methods of Obtaining Oil • Drilling • Wells- created by drilling a 1 meter hole into the earth with a drilling rig • Sections of steel pipe are then inserted into the holes to extract the oil

  6. Methods of Obtaining Oil • Fracking • Injecting water and other chemicals at a high pressure into subterranean rocks or bore holes • The force cracks the rock • The oil is then extracted(Manuel)

  7. Environmental Impacts of our oil Usage • Drilling and fracking cause: • Noise pollution • Carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides let out during the drilling process • Can ruin an entire historical spot • Contaminating water • Fracking threatens to hinder the ability of clean energy

  8. Environmental Impacts of our Oil Usage • Transporting the oil can lead to oil spills • Gulf Oil spill in 1991 (1,500,000 tons of oil) • Deep water horizon oil spill in 2010 (4.9 million barrels of oil) • Exxon oil spill in 1989 (11 million gallons)

  9. Environmental Impacts of Our Oil Usage • Impact of Oil Spills on wildlife • Kill mammals such as whales, sea otters, and dolphins • Oil can coat mammals fur leaving them vulnerable to hypothermia • Kills the food supply in the area

  10. Health Impacts of Our Oil Usage • Health Impacts • Oil spills can harm anyone involved in cleanup resulting in irritated skin, eyes, respiratory problems, and neurological problems • Oil in water supplies results in growths, breathing problems, and enlarged livers of fish in the water(US Department)

  11. Algae as a Fuel source • An alternative to the controversy surrounding oil would be to cultivate algae and use it as a biofuel

  12. Algae as a Fuel source • Due to the process of Photosynthesis, algae produce oil • Can generate 15x more per acre than any other plant used for biofuels(“Home”)

  13. Algae are Fast Growing • Algae grow extremely fast • Some microalgae double in size every twenty-four hours • Microalgae or seaweed are also fast growing • Can grow in marine or freshwater

  14. Algae are fast Growing • Chlorella Sorokiniana (type of algae) divides into four new cells every seventeen to twenty four hours • Freshwater algae • Can be grown in a controlled environment(Pienkos)

  15. High Biofuel yields • Can be grown without harm to other freshwater resources • Can be converted into various types of fuels • The lipid can be extracted and converted into biodiesel or into replacements for petroleum based fuels

  16. High Biofuel Yields • If algae fuels replaced petroleum in the United States, it would take less than .42% of space off of our map (Groom)

  17. Microalgae can be cultivated • Can be cultivated to have even higher protein and oil content • Algae naturally produce the raw materials for bioethanol and biodiesel fuels • Cultivation uses enriched CO2 reducing greenhouse gas • We currently have 400 parts per million CO2 in our atmosphere • (Bull, James)

  18. Microalgae can be Cultivated • (“Iowa Ethanol.”)

  19. Criticisms of Algae as a Biofuel • Many people worry that cultivating algae will threaten the oil industry, which is critical as studies show that the state of oil in a country can be directly linked to the success of their government

  20. To Conclude • The demand for oil is obviously very high today, but there is a lot of research surrounding other forms of energy, cleaner forms • Oil causes controversy for many reasons, and cultivating algae as a biofuel could be a solution; however, the cultivation is controversial as well.

  21. Works Cited • Abelson, Philip H. “Limiting Atmospheric CO2.” Science, vol. 289, no. 5483, 2000, pp. 1293–1293. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/3077609. “Algae as Source of Fuel.” The Science News-Letter, vol. 71, no. 8, 1957, pp. 117–117. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/3938191. • Birkland, Thomas A., and Sarah E. DeYoung. “Emergency Response, Doctrinal Confusion, and Federalism in the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.” Publius, vol. 41, no. 3, 2011, pp. 471–493. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/23015116. Bull, James J., and Sinéad Collins. “ALGAE FOR BIOFUEL: WILL THE EVOLUTION OF WEEDS LIMIT THE ENTERPRISE?” Evolution, vol. 66, no. 9, 2012, pp. 2983–2987. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/23261940. • Dept, Editorial. “The Oil Industry And Its Effect On Global Politics.” OilPrice.com, 23 Oct. 2009, oilprice.com/Energy/Oil-Prices/The-Oil-Industry-And-Its-Effect-On-Global-Politics.html.

  22. Works Cited • “Energy 101: Algae-to-Fuel.” Energy.gov, www.energy.gov/eere/videos/energy-101-algae-fuel. • “FAQs.” Transition Evesham Vale RSS, transitioneveshamvale.org.uk/faqs/. • Groom, Martha J., et al. “Biofuels and Biodiversity: Principles for Creating Better Policies for Biofuel Production.” Conservation Biology, vol. 22, no. 3, 2008, pp. 602–609. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/20183427.ITOPF. “Economic Effects.” ITOPF, www.itopf.com/knowledge-resources/documents-guides/economic-effects/. • Holodny, Elena. “TIMELINE: The Tumultuous 155-Year History of Oil Prices.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 20 Dec. 2016, www.businessinsider.com/timeline-155-year-history-of-oil-prices-2016-12?r=UK&IR=T.Manuel, John. “MINING. EPA Tackles Fracking.” Environmental Health Perspectives, vol. 118, no. 5, 2010, pp. A199–A199. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/25653866. “Nigeria.” UN Environment, www.unenvironment.org/explore-topics/disasters-conflicts/where-we-work/nigeria. • “Oil Spills.” MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 13 Sept. 2017, medlineplus.gov/oilspills.html.

  23. Works Cited • Pienkos, Philip T., et al. “Making Biofuel from Microalgae: So Much Potential Coexists with so Many Scientific, Environmental and Economic Challenges.” American Scientist, vol. 99, no. 6, 2011, pp. 474–481. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/23019415. • “The Oil Mighty: The Economic Impact of Oil Price Fluctuations.” Deloitte Insights, www2.deloitte.com/insights/us/en/economy/global-economic-outlook/2016/q3-understanding-economic-impact-of-fluctuations-in-oil-prices.html. • US Department of Commerce, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “How Does Oil Impact Marine Life?” NOAA's National Ocean Service, 4 May 2010, oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/oilimpacts.html.

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