While checking emails yesterday afternoon, I came across this article about the city of Venice, Italy looking to use algae as a source for its electricity. This is certainly one way to have "green" energy. Venice to use algae for its electricity.
Most of us think of algae as slimy green goo at the bottom of a pond or "blooming" as in Red Tide in the ocean. Of course, those of us who have or have had swimming pools, are all too familiar with what it looks like and the varying colors it comes in, not to mention how annoying it can be. Well, now we can look at it differently. So the next time you are about to curse it for inhabiting your pool, stop and think how could be supplying electricity to run your pool pump!
There are different varieties of algae and research scientists have been studying for years how to use this plant life for consumption.
My grandfather, Dr. John S Burlew, who edited and was an author of the following publication on algae, Algal Culture From Laboratory To Pilot Plant, would be happy to learn that this publication is still widely used and referred to today. The book in the photo is the hard cover version originally printed in 1953 and he also let me have the soft cover version as well. He would also be thrilled, if he were still living, to learn research scientists are finding new ways, other than food consumption, to use a natural resource such as algae.
It just goes to show how science can make an impact on our daily lives. This is certainly an "alternative" fuel source that should probably be looked into more seriously in our own country.
So the next time you look at algae, think of electricity!
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