How algae will help boost Nigerian economy and solve the domestic violence challenging our growing civilization.

In recent times, the world through United Nation and other recognised international humanitarian organisations have been promoting the importance of using green energy as a good source of fuel and energy to drive the economy. Sequel to this, a lot of countries have started by introducing other various of green energy that are not only cheaper, but a very strong and reliable form for fueling their cars and creating steady power supply for a robust economy.

These government have enacted laws and policies that will help drop the amount of carbon to the atmosphere in other lower the threat of global warming that has been looming for more than two decades.

For example, US is among the first 10 nations that are promoting bio-fuel, bio-diesel and the use of farm yard manure to generate electricity. China being a country that is rated for high manufacturing is second to US - China alone has slash it dependence on fossil fuel by 40%; which means that out of every ten industries in China, four are energy sufficient. Deriving it sources of energy from green fuel.

United Kingdom introduced a program in the early 80s; a program where government and private investors are encouraging dairy and poultry farmers to produce electricity and gas for heating/cooking within their local communities. This at the end of the day had created benefits for United Kingdom: 60% of the electricity  are created by private investor through farmyard manure from local dairy farmers or poultry farmers, instead of releasing methane gas that is four times deadlier than carbodioxide, this gas is channeled to produce electricity and cooking gas at homes. Consequently, there is low carbon emission into the atmosphere. A lot of job opportunities is created through this means.

In addition, recent research are showing clearly that algae will be the next saviour of the world. We can achieve a lot through algae - in US alone; over 1,000,000 barrel of algae oil is been produced on a daily bases to either run their cars, produce cosmetics or produce food supplements. Algae as an essential commodity in recent time, is the next green gold to turn the world around. Algae will help to drop the dependence of fossil fuel and consequently promote a better atmospheric condition. The bio-energy derived from algae are very healthy and more economical.

Algae is very easy to grow once you get the right specie for the purpose you want to grow the algae - with the help of algae, every home will be a potential oil mini-refinery. We won't need oil wells any more, every state in Nigeria will be energy sufficient and will no longer depend much on the Federal Government to run its affair. Algae has a lot of by product - Algae crude, Algae oil, Algae bio-ethanol, Dry algae flammable powder, etc.

All these product are very essential to our growing economy. For instance, in US, Obama administration has discovered a viable way of producing bio-ethanol at least 7billion barrel annually with the help of algae biomass without using corn any more (Remember that US produces 100billion barrel of bio-ethane annually from biomass - Algae account for 0.7%). Over 80% of the cars in US are running on different percentage of bio-ethanol, all depending on the choice of the client. When you go to any US filling station, you will see E10, E40, and E85. This implies 10% of ethanol, or 40% of ethanol and 85% of ethanol into the fuel you will use in your car: this alone has added a lot of economic and environmental benefits to US.

Coming back home, we have all the technologies to achieve this goals in Nigeria. And I believe strongly that if algae farming is introduced in Nigeria, it will go along way to solve the endemic power challenge we have in our country, also help to boost the economy and create employment for the teaming youths. Government should enact policies that will promote private investors involvement in our power generation, in the oil sector, government should  also create policies that will drop our carbon emission and strongly promote greener energy. Like the Obama administration, our government should promote companies that are ready to invest in green energy - this alone has a great economic potentials and benefits to our environment.

One of the great ways we can drop the carbon emission is by trading carbon credit - this will really help us to tackle carbon emission in Nigeria if the government introduce this policy. We will discuss how this works in our next edition. Stay connected.

Are Omega 3 Algae Really the Best Option For Your Brain, Heart and Body?

By Henri K. Junttila

While cold water fishes such as sardines, salmons, tuna, and hoki are an abundant source of omega 3 supplements, these fish stocks around the world are depleting at a rapid rate owing to uncontrolled fishing activities and water pollution.

In this regard, oils extracted from marine algae now present an interesting alternative towards sustainable production of omega 3 fatty acids. However, an important issue one must address is whether omega 3 algae can produce the same benefits as like omega 3 fish oil.

Phytoplankton and algae present inside the marine water are equipped with specialized organelles called chloroplasts that produce omega 3 fatty acids, particularly DHA and EPA that are essential for regularizing the transfer of fluids and other nutrients across the algal cell membrane.

In addition, these essential polyunsaturated fatty acid molecules preserve the cell membrane structure of marine algae and provide protection against freezing temperatures.

Consumption of these omega 3 algae results in the bioaccumulation of omega 3 fatty acids in the fishes, which are then transferred to humans.

Therefore, culturing these algae in an industrial scale allow us to produce unlimited quantities of omega 3 fats without causing any harm to fishes. Recently, researchers have even developed an effective method to ferment and harvest omega 3 fatty acids from algae.

One question that remains to be answered is how good omega 3 algae oils are when compared to fish oils. Omega 3 oils from algae are advantageous because they are not derived from any animal sources.

Therefore, they are being widely preferred by vegetarians and people who do not like the fish oil taste or smell. In addition, these oils are nutritionally similar to omega 3 fish oils and can be readily used as a fish conservation strategy.

Unfortunately, fish oils are still a better choice when compared to omega 3 algae oils, even though algal oils are advantageous in multiple ways.

Omega 3 fish oils are extremely effective in improving the cardiovascular system, strengthen the human immune system, regulate blood cholesterol levels, reduce triglycerides, control blood pressure, and provide protection against various human health complications such as cancer, asthma, depression, anxiety, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, and ADHD.

In addition, fish oils are a rich source of various phospholipids, powerful antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory compounds that can effectively neutralize the harmful effects of free radicals, dioxins and toxins present inside the body.

Henri K Junttila

Fish oils even contain potent anti-clotting factors that prevent the formation of blood clots. The fact that extraction of omega 3 algae oils is a difficult and expensive process is another reason that makes omega 3 fish oils a better choice.

If you're interested in learning more about the best fish oil supplements, visit my website, where I share what products I have personally been using daily for several years.

Henri K. Junttila is a health researcher, and believer of using the best natural options to stay healthy and young. Visit his website http://www.fish-oil-advice.com/ today to learn more about the powerful benefits of omega-3 fish oils.

How to Make Biodiesel From Algae

By Pamella Neely

While awareness of biodiesel and running diesel engines on vegetable oil is growing, you still have to get the oil from somewhere. The conventional choice is to buy vegetable oil, or take used vegetable oil from a restaurant. However, there is another possibility: Produce your own oil, with algae.

Algae

Algae are a form of "simple," photosynthetic, and aquatic organisms. The most complex forms of algae are commonly called "seaweed," though algae range in size and complexity from unicellular forms to this more advanced form. They are called "simple" because they lack many complex features found in land plants. The most useful feature of algae for our purposes is that algae produce significant quantities of natural oils. In fact, there are estimates that the yield from algae can be 200 times greater than that from a comparable area of other sources of conventional vegetable oils.

Algal Oils

Oil from algae is quite similar to oils produced by conventional oil crops and oilseeds. Chemists generally do not speak of oil, which is a common word for a vaguely defined group of chemicals. Biological "oils," or lipids, are chemicals called triglycerides, composed of a central glycerol unit with three fatty acids attached. Chemically, biological lipids are similar to petroleum to the extent that both groups of chemicals are based on carbon and hydrogen.

The main problem with using biological lipids as fuels is the fact that lipids are much more viscous (or resistant to "flowing," in layman's terms) than the refined petrochemicals which make up gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, and other petroleum-based fuels. As a result, unrefined lipids will not be completely burned off in an engine, and leftover product which did not burn can accumulate in the engine.

Biodiesel from Algae Oil

The process of making biodiesel from oil is all about lowering the viscosity of oil by removing the glycerol; the process of converting algal oils is the same as that with any conventional vegetable oils. Chemists refer to this process as "transesterification," which in the case of biodiesel means splitting the triglycerides, separating the glycerol, which will settle, and converting the fatty acids into a solution of methyl esters, called biodiesel. This is done by mixing the biological oil with sodium methoxide.

Cultivating Algae

Algae can be cultivated at home using a device known as a "photobioreactor," or a bioreactor which includes a source of light. A basic reactor can be made from clear plastic tubes or plastic bottles or a plastic container of some sort. Algae need water, carbon dioxide, and light to grow; the reactor will contain water into which has been placed a culture of algae. Depending on the type of reactor chosen, algae can be cultivated continuously or in batches. The light source can be an LED, a phosphorescent bulb, or natural sunlight.

Getting Oil from the Algae

The making of biodiesel involves a number of separation processes, even more so in the case of biodiesel from algae: separating the algae from the solution, separating the oil from the algae, and separating the glycerol from the biodiesel after the reaction is complete. All of these separation processes can be done simply with a centrifuge.

Conclusions

While even biodiesel isn't quite a free lunch, getting biodiesel from algae can bring you one step closer. The product you get from algae-produced biodiesel is equivalent to that you get from other oils and the conversion of algal oil is the same as the conversion of any other oil; the algae are simply a renewable source of oil. Algae are quite safe, being commonly used in commercial products including food.

The Positive Benefits Associated With Algae Oil

By Thorsten Koletzki

With the help of the different sources it has been found that even algae oil can be used as a source of alternative energy. There are lots of companies who have made a research on this information and found that it is really true and has some depth in the topic. This oil is derived from the plant called as Algae which is found in many parts of the world. The best thing about this plant is that it gives a huge amount of oil as compared to the other plants and can be used for different purposes. Through the internet a comparison has been made and it is found that the ratio of this oil is much higher as compared to other's which is a positive sign for the companies.

The companies which deal in generating energy have found a new source. Though there is not much information available on the Algae Oil but still it has come as a boon on the planet. There are some companies which are making the use of this fuel but only on a small scale. Algae are found in natural form before the companies therefore it becomes essential that they utilize the available resources without investing much money in to it. One will come across numerous benefits which it gives to the environment as it does not produces harmful gases like carbon dioxide that adversely affects the atmosphere. Thus with safety point of view you can say that it is huge advantage for the companies as well as for the environment.

There are lots of factors due to which Algae Oil has been used for producing energy. The prices of oil have always been increasing and at the same time there is an increase in the demand. In order to fulfill the demand you need various sources which can help you. If a natural source has been found then it can be used on a large scale to check whether it can meet the requirements of the companies and the people or not. The products which you get after using the oil can be used in the preparation of some other fuel which means that there is less wastage. The other fuels will serve for different purpose and is the added benefit for the company.

In the end it can be concluded that there are various optimistic aspects connected with Algae Oil. If you do not have complete information about its use and utilization then you have the online option which will help you. This is one of the hottest topics going around so you will be able to infer lots of information that can prove beneficial for you. There are websites from where you can collect details about its production and how it can affect the overall demand of oil. Hope you can get full information and find it useful in clearing your doubts.

Biodiesel Algae Could Be the Next Big Fuel Source

By Liz Micik
Biodiesel is made from a number of different source oils. Animal fats and waste vegetable oils from restaurants may be the most common image that comes to mind. There is no doubt that this portion of the overall biodiesel production market is growing rapidly. A lot of biodiesel is coming out of homemade biodiesel kits refined by home brewers, but the very individual nature of the production makes it impossible to count.

But it is safe to say that whatever that amount is, it is still dwarfed by production from plant sources destined for processing in commercial plants that provide the fuel primarily for large fleet and government users. Brazil leads the world in biodiesel production from sugar cane, while in the US most biodiesel production is from soybeans and corn.

Today's first generation biodiesel fuels are not projected to replace more than 10-30% of the world's oil supply. Yet they are hotly debated with many anticipating and fearing the disruption in food production and prices that may be seen if they reach those levels.

Proponents argue that these crops will provide both food and fuel, and that more land for fuel crops can be found. One suggestion showed a projected yield equivalent to today's total production just by utilizing the median strips of US highways for fuel crops.

Opponents cite current rising food prices that can be tied back to rising fuel prices and claim the connection is already too strong. To take crops out of food production and shift them to fuel production would only fuel a faster and higher spiraling of prices for both food and fuel.

So new fuel sources are desperately being sought. This second generation of biofuel candidates includes algae. Algae is the world's fastest growing organism and fat is half its composition, making it an ideal candidate.

However, there are numerous stumbling blocks to be overcome in the actual production end. One company, Sapphire Energy, recently announced that they have secured financing of more than $100 million dollars to figure out how and where to grow the mass quantities needed for production and how to distribute it.

Algae is one of the most efficient organisms on earth in terms of using the sun, far outstripping sugar cane or corn. That's led some to suggest the southwestern US desert as an ideal place to raise biodiesel algae because the abundant sunshine and lack of any other commercial uses for the area. However, distribution and transportation from desert algae farms to dense eastern cities could keep the price of production too high to ever make it a profitable venture.

That's just one of the hurdles to be overcome before biodiesel algae is listed as an official fuel. Just what algae strains grow best, and yield the most under commercial conditions is unknown. What's the best way to recover and refine the lipids (fats) also remains to be tested.

It's far more likely that in the near term at least, the most successful growers and refiners of biodiesel algae will be the small group or individual growers. Students at a school in Chicago IL have grown and powered their own vehicle in a 20 mile road test using algae, while large companies like Sapphire are still defining their research and production testing goals in the area.

A home brewer isn't faced with the same challenges as a large commercial brewer. Efficiencies of scale are not his problem. Mastering and refining step-by-step production activities until they become cost effective is his only concern. And costs on the home brewer scale are also extremely reasonable as they are with all home biodiesel production once you get past the initial equipment outlays.

In this case, the home brewer may turn out to hold the key to understanding and growing this crucial second generation...and profiting from it the most.


Liz Micik is a 28 year marketing veteran and freelance writer. At MakeBiodieselKits.com she shares stories and videos of real people and small companies around the globe who have built their own biodiesel kits and refining practices as well as covering the major news of this emerging industry. She invites you to share your story, or use the stories of others and the resources the site provides to build your own alternative fuel success story.

Algae - Is It an Economically Viable Biofuel?

By Judith Ceja

As the world becomes more environmentally aware, everyone is moving towards greener technologies. In an attempt to promote algae research, The House of Representatives introduced a bill to promote investment tax credits for algae-based biorefineries. The need for long-term fuel resources and less dependence on crude oil is behind the drive to develop viable biofuels. This has led many people to take a second look at algae as a potential economically feasible biofuel.

Even large corporations such as Ford Motor Company and ExxonMobil are looking forward and have commissioned research projects to look for viable renewable energy sources. Ford Motor Company is working with scientists at Wayne University to research algae as a potential automotive fuel alternative. In fact, Ford has made the use of alternative fuel sources for future Ford vehicles a long-term business objective for the company.

Additionally, ExxonMobil, in conjunction with Synthetics Genomics, Inc., has established an actual greenhouse for their research on the feasibility of algae as a potential biofuel. They consider this a tremendous step in the right direction because it will most closely resemble the production of algae in its natural environment.

The military, realizing that a need for long-term alternative fuels may be a matter of national security in the future, has also been experimenting with algae as an alternative fuel. This year the United States Navy successfully tested diesel fuel made from algae on a 49 foot long command boat. The fuel was a 50/50 mixture of algae-derived biodiesel and diesel fuel. The Navy's interest in biofuels goes beyond its ships. It is also looking into biofuels which can power jet engines.

There are some major advantages to developing algae as an alternative fuel. One big advantage is that algae grow naturally on land and in water that cannot be used for other purposes such as plant or food production. Another advantage is the rate at which algae can be produced. Algae can be grown all year unlike other sources such as soy beans or corn which can only produce one crop per year. This is not the first time algae has been looked at as an alternative fuel source. However, the biggest stumbling block has been the tremendous cost of producing algae-based fuel on a commercial scale.

Montana State University (MSU) may be on its way to providing a solution. This summer, a MSU grad student named Rob Gardner began looking at experiments done 20 years earlier. He believed that adding baking soda was the key to accelerating the rate of algae growth. Although baking soda had been used in previous experiments to no avail, Gardner made a tremendous breakthrough. He discovered the exact time to add baking soda during the algae growth process proved critical. MSU is in the process of filing a patent on their discovery. This may be a major step towards making algae an economically feasible biofuel.