Gassing up with Algae

It’s true – in the future, you may actual gas up with a fuel that comes from seaweed or microscopic organisms that float in the ocean.  University of New Haven is in the midst of a research project that is pulling algae from Long Island Sound to test its potential to be turned into a biofuel.  I spent a day at sea with lead researcher and marine biologist Dr. Carmela Cuomo, her grad students, and a group of high school students who attend marine-focused high schools along Connecticut’s shoreline.  They’ve been pulling samples from the Sound, feeding them nutrients in their lab to create “super algae,” and testing them to see which would make the best biofuel.

Biofuels are created from lipids – the fat content – that are present in the algae (and any other fuel “source” – think corn, switch grass, kelp- all being tested in various labs across the country).  The lipids are extracted, then treated and turned into a fuel that could be used with a diesel engine.  Very cool.  And it all really makes sense.  Especially when you consider that the petroleum we drill for in the sea is actually made from ancient algae (or phytoplankton) that’s calcified over thousands of centuries.  In the words of Dr. Cuomo, with this project, “we’re just short-circuiting the process.”  Cuomo and crew will be pulling samples from the Sound through the end of the summer.   They will determine this Fall which algae is more productive as a biofuel.
You can watch the story in my Treading Lightly report.

Christina DeFranco, Environmental Journalist | CT Documentary and Video Producer