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Algae can be used to produce energy as a by-product
Energy production with algae is not commercially viable because of the high production cost, but it could be a by-product of more expensive algal products.
Energy production through algae is too expensive to be commercially viable. Still it would provide source for biofuels that would not compete agricultural food production. It also would not need fresh water for culturing. This would still be really beneficial aspects that need to be considered if production price can be lowered.
Total production price could be lowered by using algae primarily for producing other algal products or for treating wastewater and combustion gasses of factories and power plants. If there is a product that makes growing algae viable, or algae is grown for some other purpose, the energy could be acquired as almost free by-product.
Possible products could be antioxidants, fatty acids and nutrients. All of them could be extracted and rest of the algae could be turned into bioethanol and the lipids of the algae could be turned into biodiesel.
Gathering nutrients for commercial purpose could be interesting option, because algae culturing would allow them to be gathered from wastewaters. Algae could be then turned into methane through anaerobic digestion. This would leave nutrients to be gathered for commercial use as fertilizers and methane could be used as biogas.
Algae could offer income through both of the products and this way make investment and production costs reasonable. Treating wastewaters on algae culture also offers good way to reduce production costs, and same time neglect the need to use fertilizers as source of nutrients.
FAO. 2009. Algae-based biofuels. Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Rome, Italy.
Your idea/solution in one sentence: Cost effectiveness of algae based biofuels can be increased by making them as a by-product.
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