Got Gas?Got Gas?

Alternative Energy Part 1: BiofuelsBiofuels

Carlin HEmerson MS

How do we fuel our cars, trucks, buses,

airplanes, trains, and boats ?

GasolineDiesel

Coal

Where Where does fuel does fuel

come come from?from?

. . . Fossil Fuel

What’s wrong with the fuel we use today?

(Greenhouse gases) - Carbon dioxide, CO2

- Methane, CH4

- Nitrous oxide, N2O- Ozone, O3

Going Green. . . Literally

What is Algae?

chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Chlamy:

• Is a single celled green alga.

• Have chloroplasts with chlorophyll

• Can grow in both light AND dark places.

• Mostly grow in water

• Can swim with arms called flagellas

• Can be engineered to produce A LOT of oil

Kind of a plant, kind of not

Pronounce: Cla-mid-oh-moan-us Rine-heart-ee-i

How can algae be fuel ?Biofuel ?

Acetate (CO2)Nutrients

fats=oilAcetate (CO2)

Nutrients

Sugars

O2

OR RespirationRespiration

CO2 = Algae food

factory

Grow your own algae biofuel crop