Theoretical Backdrop

Algae Ethanol: Think Small!

Based on their findings, scientists at the University of Rochester have observed that: "It seems almost intuitive, that our children harness the power of algae and bacteria, the descendants of oil's raw material, to make their own fuel. To replace oil, we need to think small. Puny past, meet our tiny future."

Today most biofuels like biodiesel, and ethanol are made from corn, soybeans, sugar cane, and other food crops. Therefore, some emerging questions are:

• Do we make biofuels out of the food we are going to eat, or do we make fuel to power our cars?
   
• In the years to come, whom will we feed - hungry people or hungry cars?
   
• What percentage of our crops is needed to meet all of our fuel needs?

Algae Ethanol: Birth of a New Idea

These challenges led to my search and research for a way of making ethanol and at the same time saving our food crops to feed people and livestock?

Research into the origins of oil shows that origins of oil are in the long-dead microorganisms such as algae! Piling in vast quantities at the bottom of lakes or on the sea floor, and getting buried under layer upon layer of mud, over millions of years algae and zooplankton eventually turned it into petroleum!

In our environment there are vast seas and inland lakes often filled with algae. These tiny unicellular plant create energy from the sun and thrive on carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Algae possess a unique set of genes and though tiny, their cellulose-free bodies have been discovered to contain at least 50 percent oil. Several companies have already built or have plans to build manufacturing units to make ethanol from algae. Based on initial findings estimated yields from an acre of algae is in between 5,000 to 15,000 gallons per year. These numbers point to the fact that the world will increasingly be relying on some of the simplest of forms of life to produce our transportation fuel.

Based on scientific research, this experiment is designed to demonstrate that the tiniest beings of our environment contain energy and it is up to us - the scientists of today and tomorrow, to think outside the box, be creative and find those sources to keep our world energized and moving.

The findings of this experiment are interpreted with reference to the Three Laws of Thermodynamics:

The First Law of Thermodynamics by Joule and Clausius (1850) states that: Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, but it changes its form.

The implication being that energy in the Universe is freely available and exists in different forms ¨C including non-conventional forms. As energy moves from one body to another it may change form. A tank of gasoline has potential energy that is converted into kinetic energy by the engine of that machine. If we touch the machine, it feels warm. This shows that thermal energy was produced. In effect potential energy changed form and became thermal energy.

The Second Law of Thermodynamics by Clausius (1854) states that: In all energy exchanges, no energy enters or leaves the system, the potential energy of the current state will always be less than that of the initial state.

The implication being that in the process of energy transfer or energy exchange, some energy is lost as heat. As we know today, the energy that is given off during such an exchange impacts our environment as harmful gases maybe given off.

The Third Law of Thermodynamics by Nerst & Planck (1854) states that: entropy of any condensed substance at zero temperature has a value of zero.

The implication being that at low temperatures when a liquid (such as ethanol) cools, the movement of its molecules becomes slower. Therefore, for efficient and low-cost production of ethanol, the manufacturing plants should be located in warm climates.

Implication of the three Laws of Thermodynamics for the purposes of this experiment is that:

• The First Law of Thermodynamics explains the universal availability of energy in different bodies. So we need to research and identify unusual sources of energy in an attempt to solve the energy crisis.
   
• The Second law of Thermodynamics addresses the way energy changes form and the nature of energy exchange among different bodies. This points to the fact that we must be careful to prevent loss of energy.
   
• The Third Law of Thermodynamics brings out the influence of Nature on energy exchange. This shows that energy exists in different bodies to a different extent under different conditions.

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