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Oilgae: The Possibility of Growing Oil. John Winters. Auto Emissions and the Green House Effect. According to the USEPA: “A gallon of gasoline is assumed to produce 8.8 kilograms (or 19.4 pounds) of CO 2 .”
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Oilgae: The Possibility of Growing Oil John Winters
Auto Emissions and the Green House Effect According to the USEPA: “A gallon of gasoline is assumed to produce 8.8 kilograms (or 19.4 pounds) of CO2.” Through aggregating fuel emissions and average miles driven the average vehicle is estimated to produce 5.48 metric tons CO2 equivalents. http://www.odec.ca/projects/2005/stro5c0/public_html/greenhouse_effect.jpg http://www.epa.gov/OMS/climate/420f05004.htm#step1
World Wide Approximately 10.8 % of Green House Gas emissions come from automobiles. Auto Emissions and the Green House Effect http://cait.wri.org/figures.php?page=ntn/12-1 In the United States 21.6 % of Green House Emissions come from automobiles. http://cait.wri.org/figures.php?page=US-FlowChart&view=100
Possible Solutions … Algae The oil can be extracted through the physically through compression or chemically through interactions with solvents or osmotic shock. Algae naturally produces an oil similar to petroleum, if this oil can be extracted it can be used as a fuel source the same way petroleum is. http://www.krisweb.com/krissheepscot/krisdb/html/krisweb/stream/algae.jpg Oilgae.com
Ongoing Research The synthetic genomics institute is currently developing the process of genetically modifying algae to continually produce oil. According to Dr. James Venter the goal is to “trick algae into pumping more lipids out” so that mass quantities of oil can be harvested and used as a fuel source. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/14/business/energy-environment/14fuel.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1259899249-ff%20GuSG7sxjzxTNvxXPG9A
Benefits – CO2 Reduction http://www.filthylucre.com/algae-biofuel Guaranteed to be carbon neutral and can be negative if the excess algae is sequestered. Algae can use carbon dioxide and nitrous oxides as nutrient sources. Algae could potentially be “fed” the waste from a fossil fuel based power plant to reduce the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere. http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/061026/061026_algae_hmed_7a.hmedium.jpg
Benefits – Energy Independence http://lugar.senate.gov/graphics/energy/graphs/US_oil_use_by_sector.gif The US is currently the largest importer of oil, most of which is used for transportation. http://www.resourceinvestor.com/News/2007/4/PublishingImages/800px-Oil_imports.png
Scalability Unlike most other potential renewable energy Oilgae has a much larger scaleability, or potential to become a dominant energy source. Easy Growth Conditions Minimal Land Use High Efficiencies • 2,000 gallons of fuel per acre of production each year, compared with 650 gallons for palm trees and 450 gallons for sugar canes. Corn yields just 250 gallons per acre a year http://www.electricitybook.com/algae-biodiesel-2/algae-valcent1.jpg http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/14/business/energy-environment/14fuel.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1259899249-ff%20GuSG7sxjzxTNvxXPG9A
No Infrastructure Change Unlike other proposed fuel reforms Algae Oil would not need to overhaul the existing fuel infrastructure. The fuel could be distributed by the same network of gas stations and used by the same cars. http://www.civilianism.com/futurism/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/hydrofillingstation.jpg Oilgae.com
What we can do • Raise awareness • Know the consequences of actions • Not use our countries economic status as a excuse http://cait.wri.org/figures.php?page=ntn/7-3
United States Environmental Protection Agency. “Emission Facts: Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Typical Passenger Vehicle.” Pollutants and Programs. Accessed Feb 2010. http://www.epa.gov/OMS/climate/420f05004.htm#step1 • Online Digital Education Connection. “The Problem with Plovers: The Green House Effect.” Accessed Feb 2010. http://www.odec.ca/projects/2005/stro5c0/public_html/index.htm • World Resources Institute. “GHG’s from Transportation.” Climate Indicators Analysis Tool. Accessed Feb 2010. http://cait.wri.org/figures.php?page=ntn/12-1 • World Resources Institute. “U.S. GHG Emissions Flow Chart” Climate Indicators Analysis Tool. Accessed Feb 2010. http://cait.wri.org/figures.php?page=ntn/12-1 • "Control Algae Growth in Freshwater and Saltwater Aquariums." Dog, Cat, and Pet Care Tips, Health and Behavior Information by Veterinarians. Accessed Feb 2010. http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=16+2154&aid=1642 . • Mouawad, Jad. "Exxon to Invest Millions to Make Fuel From Algae." The New York Times, June 13, 2009. Accessed Feb 2010. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/14/business/energy-environment/14fuel.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1259899249-ff%20GuSG7sxjzxTNvxXPG9A • Oilgae. "Biodiesel from Algae Oil - Oilgae - Information, News, Links for Algal Fuel, Alga Bio-diesel, Biofuels, Algae Biofuel, Energyy” Accessed Feb 2010. Oilgae.com. • “ Biodiesel from Algae Oil - Oilgae - Information, News, Links for Algal Fuel, Alga Bio-diesel, Biofuels, Algae Biofuel, Energyy”. Accessed Feb 2010. ht http://www.oilgae.com/algae/oil/biod/biod.html • Service, Robert. "ExxonMobil Fuels Venter's Efforts To Run Vehicles on Algae-Based Oil." Science 325, no. 5939 (2009): 379. http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/325/5939/379-a (accessed November 1, 2009). • Filthy Lucre. “Is Algae Biofuel (Oilgae) the Answer?” April 9, 2008. Accessed Feb 2010. http://www.filthylucre.com/algae-biofuel • MSNBC. “Algae Fuel”. Accessed Feb 2010. http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/ Photos/061026/061026_algae_hmed_7a.hmedium.jpg • Richard G. Lugar. “US Oil Use By Sector.” Published through United States Senate from United States Energy Information Administration. http://lugar.senate.gov/graphics/energy/graphs/US_oil_use_by_sector.gif • Resource Investor. “Oil Imports.” Accessed Feb 2010. http://www.resourceinvestor.com/News/2007/4/PublishingImages/800px-Oil_imports.png • Electricity Book. “Algae Biodiesel.” Accessed Feb 2010. http://www.electricitybook.com/algae-biodiesel-2/algae-valcent1.jpg • Civiliamism.com. “Hydro filling Station.” Accessed Feb 2010. http://www.civilianism.com/futurism/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/hydrofillingstation.jpg • World Resources Institute. “Income Per Capita and GHG Emissions.” Climate Indicators Analysis Tool. Accessed Feb 2010. http://cait.wri.org/figures.php?page=ntn/7-3 Sources