I have been watching as scientist scramble to genetically craft algae to “grow” oil which is then harvested.
But another company has taken a different route. Algenol Biofuels has crafted algae to act as a process to produce ethanol.
http://www.technologyreview.com/business/23009/
http://www.algenolbiofuels.com/
Uses light, carbon dioxide and saltwater (three very abundant items) to create usable, portable energy. And it desalinates the water to boot.
This is one to watch.
Algae Update: Algae technology is heating up. Exxon is investing in a company called Synthetic Genomics that has created algae that produces oil and then excretes it:
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/07/17/could-exxon-go-green-oil-giant-invests-in-algae-biofuel-research/
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