#1 Vertigro - Gas, Diesel, Biofuel production from algae

[unclemikeb]

WOW!. ALL THE ENERGY NEEDS OF AMERICA!

I have been writing to my senators for almost two years now to make them aware of this. I guess I have been writing to the wrong people because there has been no real mention of it.

I suspect investors are reluctant to get behind this because it is still unproven and most of them have big holdings in oil so they don't want the value of their oil assests to take a hit.

I guess I'll just keep pestering my senators and share this with all friends.

[swrtwo]

What if we put algae greenhouses on floating platforms out at sea? They could follow the sun! No taxes! Could oceanic algae be harvested? This would include kelp farms as well as skimmers.

[NaziGOPBallmer]

@swrtwo

As long they don't float out to international seas.

[cjtate08]

I want to build this thing. I mean really want to build a scaled down version of this PBR to produce batches of biofuel in my home. Does anyone know what is done with the mature culture to extract biodiesel / biogasoline?

[davepamn]

Why does the facility cost $1 million dollars to create one module?

[NaziGOPBallmer]

@davepamn

I'm not sure if it really does cost that much, but then you look at how much gallon of fuel one module is capable of producing. As far as I could guess, this system is probably by far the cheapest and most efficient way of harvesting algae fuel compared to other methods.

[davepamn]

Japan had a system in the 1980s that could produce a barrel of bio fuel oil for $10 then OPEC drop out price and the company defaulted. Shale oil could drop price out. There are hazards to investing in new energy. However, if the system could generate fuel in the short term with minimal investment then it could capture profits that would allow it to compete if the price drops out.

[NaziGOPBallmer]

@davepamn

Question is, how much gallon did they produce per acre per year? I believe one of the major hazard in investing in green energy are the oil barons who have lobbying armies to make sure no alternative energy will ever see the light of day. Personally if it was up to me and I had a shitload of money, I'd invest the fuck out of it, then sell the bio gas dirt cheap just to destroy the oil empires of the world.

[walter0bz]

@NaziGOPBallmer -

biofuel will never compete with what we're used to from oil.

oil is an energy lottery win. fun till it runs out. human civilization will go back to the C18th or stone age when it runs out. only a true breakthrough like fusion would match what we've come to expect with fossil fuels

[8421Phil]

We now send ~$1BILLION/DAY for oil to terrorist-harboring countries. A "Manhattan-level" project growing bio-fuel algae on Federal land in New Mexico, Nevada, etc could END that while dramatically improving our economy!

[falcon14110]

Adding to my post, I like the idea and it can work. I especially like the design. But for this company to really do well the bulk price of bulk diesel will have to be above 3.40 $/gal continuously for them to have a chance to really grow to a point it would replace oil. I'm not saying this won't or couldn't happen...simply saying its 5-10yrs out. 

[falcon14110]

The reason this isn't national news is that it is currently economically infeasible. The hardest part about algae fuel is not growing but extracting the usable oil. The extraction process costs roughly .40 cents to $1 per gallon depending on method. At an industrial level refining vegetable oil to bio fuel costs between 80 cents to a $1.10 per gal. Diesel is sold (by bulk distributors) at 2.7 $/gal.

To break even they must both grow the algae and run the supply chain between 0.8-1.3 $/gal.

[tony5w]

i was just curious on how the progress was doing on this. cant find any why?

[chisairingo]

someone knows the thickness in micron of theese bags?

[walter0bz]

never mind powering cars, algae will be our main food source after peak oil & environmental damage farmland :)

These are good projects though .. great for pulling C02 back out of the atmosphere

[mciceteade]

@walter0bz

these farms could be placed in desert areas and not waste farmland at all

[walter0bz]

@mciceteade -

don't algae need Water to grow?

when you have Water, its not a desert any more.

water + sunlight = food for humans or fuel for machines...

this is a false hope.

[mciceteade]

@walter0bz this is a close loop system

[walter0bz]

@mciceteade -

you still needed to get water in.

hence, you are growing fuel where food could have been grown.

Fossil Fuel energy currently multiplies food yields allowing 6+billion to be fed as opposed to the 500million that were around before the industrial age. When the petrochemical pesticides & fertilizers run out, every last scrap of water and sunlight will be needed to reduce the number that will starve to death.

[NaziGOPBallmer]

@walter0bz

Farming and fuel always use water, but this system uses less compared to other methods. In this closed-loops system, the only water lost is absorbed by the algae themselves. You don't spend additional water to compensate for evaporation which happens in open-pond systems.

[walter0bz]

@NaziGOPBallmer -

bags of photosynthesizers... nature already tried that

[NaziGOPBallmer]

@walter0bz

I agree that's basically what the whole system is. And to this day nature is still doing that. I find it weird you said that in past tense. But as you said it's basically photosynthesis, it would be producing food as well, right? Also, since the Vertigro system can grow real food as well and be set up on non-arable lands, I believe they're adding more food source instead of taking it away.

[walter0bz]

@NaziGOPBallmer

"vertigo"? .. vertical growing?... see "Trees" - again, nature already tried that.

trees even evolved deliberate mechanisms for feeding animals.. symbiosis.

my hypothesis is that all modern technology is basically toys for deploying fossil fuels. go back to sustainability it's likely that natures's evolved symbioses are far superior.. 'solar powered self-replicating nanotechnology'.. way in advance of our toys. Without FF human population will crash back to pre-industrial level

[NaziGOPBallmer]

@walter0bz

I wasn't referring to trees, I was referring to photosynthesis which I thought you were referring to also.

[walter0bz]

@NaziGOPBallmer - I like to bring up trees in relation to the vertical growing idea. (i assume thats what Vertigro is)

nature already constructs vertical structures with photosynthesized units and dedicated animal feeding :) there's a claim we can build these in areas not suitable for plants but i'd look into how much FF supporting infrastructure there is. Going out of our way to irrigate is a good idea though.. i'm just highly suspicious of any 'magic bullet' claims

[NaziGOPBallmer]

@walter0bz

It's only false hope if we allow political sabotage to halt progress for alternative energy.

[sayurmayur0]

why don't they include these informations in their website? ,what's the matter ? and their stock seems like is going to collapse x=x

can this be a possible investment faud? seems like so :/

[Gunnarsguns]

We dont fund things like this because we are to busy giving trillions to bankers who have already robbed us once anyway

[SERIIOUS24]

why arent anyone investing in this? i would .. bio energy is a great investment

[flmason]

Why is this not on the national news???

[doleak]

this is widely known though funding though Obama's new green bill will take time to be received.

[nailszz6]

Absolutely amazing. What's even more amazing is the low view count lol.

[BigAT3]

This is the future right here folks!

[jacko23]

thank you!