THIS is one biofuel that lives up to its green billing in more ways than one. It鈥檚 an emerald-green crude oil, produced by photosynthesis in algae, which could fuel cars, trucks and aircraft 鈥� without consuming crops that can be used as food.
鈥淭his product can go right into today鈥檚 oil pipeline,鈥� claims Jason Pyle of Sapphire Energy in San Diego, California, which developed the fuel. He says the 鈥済reen crude鈥� is similar in quality to naturally occurring crude oil. It is produced as a by-product of photosynthesis by a genetically engineered strain of algae, housed in tanks of treated waste-water and exposed to sunlight. The tanks can be placed on non-arable land.
Gasoline, diesel and jet fuel have already been refined from the green crude, and the company aims to produce 10,000 barrels per day within five years.
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