Virginians know more than most people about growing algae: The Chesapeake Bay periodically erupts with algae blooms that wreak havoc on the fragile estuarine ecology. While most of us think of algae as an environmental blight, Old Dominion University researchers want to convert the primitive life form into biodiesel fuel — and make Virginia’s waters a little cleaner in the process.
Algal Farms Inc., on a 240-acre tract near the border of Surry and Prince George counties, currently has a working, 1-acre algae pond capable of growing enough microscopic, green algae to produce up to 3,000 gallons of biodiesel fuel per year. A second pond under construction has been designed to grow algae in wastewater effluent, stripping out harmful nutrients. If the pilot project is successful, dozens of ponds could be dug on the property and Algal Farms could become the first commercial facility of its kind in the country, reports the ODU news service.
The vision is to truck in effluent daily from the Hopewell Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility. Though treated, the effluent will be rich in the nutrients that feed algae blooms in the Bay. After the algae are harvested, tanker trucks will haul it back to Hopewell, where it can be discharged into the James River cleaner than it would be otherwise.
All that trucking of water sounds economically wasteful — think of all the gasoline consumed — but treating the water in algae ponds could scrub the water clean enough to avoid investing in expensive upgrades using conventional methods.
Researchers are working out technical kinks, such as the ideal temperatures for growing the algae and developing efficient ways to harvest the slimy, oily organism.
(Photo credit: Old Dominion University.)
