Can Shell Convert Algae Into Fuel? by GARKO

Shell hopes to construct a facility producing biodiesel from algae within the next two years, pursuant to yesterday's launch of a joint venture to start a research project in Hawaii. The partnership with Hawaii-based Biopetroleum, will initially build a small research plant but expects to increase to a full-throttle commercial facility of 20,000 hectares. A Shell spokesperson said it expected yields of approximately sixty tonnes of oil per hectare a year, meaning a full-scale complex would generate 1.2m tons of fuel annually. The two corporations did not disclose how large the initial investment was, but Shell has confirmed that they will own the majority of the company, called Cellana. Shell has not participated in production of the first wave of biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel from vegetable oil, focusing on second-generation fuel sources that can be produced from non-food plants or plant waste. It has cited that government subsidies for biofuels should provide greater incentives to second-generation products for the reason that they can be expected to demonstrate much better environmental performance, especially in cutting carbon dioxide emissions. Graeme Sweeney, Shell's head of future fuels, suggested that biodiesel from algae is going to need such support to be viable. He said: "The issue in our project is that we are here investing in developing sustainable routes to biofuel with a low-carbon footprint." As a biofuel product, algae has benefits over traditional crops. It occupies less space and can be grown in salt water, which solves the problem of too much demand from agricultural land and fresh water, which has been among the most difficult problems experienced by first-generation biofuels activities. It also has higher yields. Shell announced its "conservative" estimate of an annual fuel output of sixty tonnes per hectare was FIFTEEN times the four tonnes a year possible with jatropha, a biofuel crop being pioneered by D1 Oils in partnership with BP. But Mr Sweeney admitted there was a long road ahead of Cellana to substantiate the commercial viability of the venture. What I have to say about this is... go to it guys, I hope it does work out and more power to you, (even though you already possess all the power in the world). But while you are off scraping algae off the Ocean bottom, I will keep on working with Water4Gas WATER4GAS is sharing information for a nominal fee which individuals can use in their garage or wherever to create a small device which infuses hydrogen into the gas/air mixture that their vehicle runs on. The process makes bite sized particles out of the particles that the engine burns as fuel. So the system is able to use much more of it. By doing this you can minimumly expect to lower your gasoline usage by thirty to fifty percent or even more. Those goblets "musta" been pretty "blankin'" huge in some engines before. But with WATER4GAS they are made usable so you can lower your gasoline usage. It also helps make emissions substantially cleaner. This information has been purchased by over NINE THOUSAND people already and the percentage of happy customers is about 99%! So how about you?

About the Author

Learn how to increase power and save gas and how to run a car on hydrogen from water which is the best of the ways to reduce your gas consumption