| Turning algae into fuel |
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2008-06-30 16:42:04
Still, with crude-oil prices soaring and concern growing that biofuels made from crops such as corn are creating a food shortage, interest in algae fuel is blossoming. Betting that in a few years algae will be ready for prime time, companies ranging from start-ups like GreenFire Energy of Salt Lake City to energy giants such as Chevron Corp. and Royal Dutch Shell PLC are investing in projects aimed at finding an economical way to turn algae into fuel. It sounds too good to be true. Take some fallow land that is unsuited for growing food. Build some ponds and let microscopic algae bloom. Harvest the algae, extract the vegetable oil and turn it into a green-tinged transportation fuel. It sounds too good to be true. Take some fallow land that is unsuited for growing food. Build some ponds and let microscopic algae bloom. Harvest the algae, extract the vegetable oil and turn it into a green-tinged transportation fuel. Putting an algae-based fuel into a gas tank isn't as far-fetched as it sounds. Biological material has long been the source of the world's dominant fuels -- from whale blubber in the 19th century to crude oil today. Crude oil is simply prehistoric plankton and other decomposed plants and animals that have stewed underground for millennia. That is why it is called a fossil fuel - fossils are involved. 
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Save Earth Fund invests in renewable energy, environmental technology and water management through actively managed funds, ETFs and stocks. The fund is the only of its kind in Sweden. Our aim is to generate a return that clearly exceeds that of the MSCI World index, with a lower than the average risk of environmental funds. No minimum investment. The management fee is 1%. Daily subscriptions/redemptions. Mr Carl Bernadotte, Mr Alexander Jansson and Mr Marcus Grimfors are responsible for managing the fund. Learn more about our managers here. |