As well as its logical use in cars and trucks, biodiesel from algae also has the capability of being used as the fuel for dirty, high polluting trains, and extreme toxic chemical-emitting ocean-going vessels. Train locomotives release hundreds of tons of CO2 and PM every year and run on low-filtered diesel. Replacing petroleum diesel with biodiesel would greatly reduce the amount of toxic air contaminents released annually. Another huge emitter is the world's fleat of ocean-going vessels such as oil tankers and cargo ships. According to Lisa Williams of the California Air Resources Board, California has been regulating these vessels and the fuel they use. Most ocean-going vessels use a fuel called "bunker fuel," which is considered the dirtiest fuel, second only to crude oil. In fact, bunker fuel is so dirty and unfiltered that it is solid at room temperature. Lisa Williams has already developed regulations that requires them to change their fuel. Her regulation is expected to be approved by the office of administrative law in the summer of 2009. Ocean-going vessels will be required to change the fuel that their main engine, auxilary engine, and boiler run on in California waters within 24 nautical miles of the California base line. The vessels will be required to change their fuel to either Marine Gas Oil (MGO) with a maximum of 1.5% sulfur by weight or Marine Diesel Oil (MDO) with a maximum of 0.5% sulfur by weight. However, if the regulation is approved (which is expected) then on January 1, 2012, it will become more stringent. At that time, for both MGO and MDO, the maximum amount of sulfur by weight allowed will lower to 0.1% (Williams, Lisa). However, if all ships were to run on algal biodiesel, the emsions would be greatly reduced. Even the US Navy, with its expansive fleet, considers biodiesel to be a viable alternative to fuel their ships (United States. Cong.).
Not only can clean biodiesel produced by algae be used to power cars, trains, and ocean-going vessels, but it can be used as a green fuel for the production of clean electricity. That can, in turn, power buildings, elctric vehicles, and even trains.
Algae electricity can be used not only to charge our electric cars, but because of electricity's compatibility, it could also be used to cleanly and efficiently produce hydrogen gas, which could then drive our fuel cell vehicles. |  |
A very viable option is for algal biodiesel to be the source of electricity for electric trains, especially high speed rail lines like the one being built in California, shown at right. |
