Pioneering the movement for greener, cheaper, homegrown fuel, Algenol has cracked the algae genome and is producing more than 9,000 gallons of the four main fuels per acre from algae, by far the most cost-effective biofuel available at $1.27/gal. By comparison, corn ethanol produces just 420 gallons of fuel per acre.
Through simple photosynthesis, Algenol’s algae convert only salt water, carbon dioxide and sunlight into biofuel. Each acre of 15 gallon algae bags – resembling oversized IV pouches – produces 9,000 gallons of ethanol. The dead algae is then refined into 550 gallons of diesel, 400 gallons of jet fuel and 400 gallons of gasoline.
Incredible yields aren’t the only benefit. The salt water used at the beginning of the process is converted by the algae into fresh water, providing 1.5 gallons of clean water per gallon of fuel produced. As fresh water becomes increasingly scarce, the implications of this byproduct are huge.
2014 is poised to be a really big year for Algenol and the commercialization of algae-based biofuels. The energy superstar reveals savings at the pump, high yields and clean water. 
