Algae - the energy of the future

Algae - the energy of the future

Student of Agronomy specialty

S.Seifullin KATU

Scientific supervisor

Algae are simple plants and eukaryotic cells, or cells that contain a nucleus, which makes them slightly more complex than bacteria. Most algae live in fresh or sea water .All Algae contain a pigment called chlorophyll a and they make their own food by photosynthesis. Algae are very diverse and found almost everywhere on the planet. They play an important role in many ecosystems, they are producing about 70 percent of all the air we breathe

In the 21^st century people often come to the idea, that we need to find new sources of energy, because in the not too distant future we will have used up all the supplies of fuels such as oil and gas. In addition, fossil fuels release a lot of pollutants into the atmosphere when they are burned, whereas energy from other sources can be much 'cleaner'. Last time Algae has emerged as a popular element in industries like cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, biofuels, and more. Most recently, the use of algae has been making waves in sustainable energy and environmental technology. Algae has numerous benefits that make it an ideal choice for creating a variety of interesting products.

There are our top surprising uses of Algae:

Algae can be used to produce electricity. They can split water into hydrogen and oxygen. If the hydrogen can be captured, it can be used in 'hydrogen fuel cells' to generate electricity - and this type of electricity production doesn't release greenhouse gases. But this is not all: Algae can also produce hydrocarbons - similar molecules to those found in fossil fuels - which can be used directly as a source of biofuel.

Algae Can Function As An Energy Source. The goal to create a biofuel has never been closer with Algae becoming a real possibility. By extracting oil from the algae, the rest of the algae product can be used to create biofuel that fuels power generation sources. This helps take the pressure off of coal, natural gas and nuclear power.

Algae Has Fertilizer Properties .Algae can be used as a fertilizer because it is a living organism. When Algae is used as a fertilizer, it quickly begins to break down releasing its abundant nitrogen source. As a result, algae can act as an excellent fertilizer that can be used to help grow crops efficiently.

Algae Can Be Used for Animal Feed . Algae has a high protein content. This helps to make algae ideal as an animal feed. Algae also has numerous micronutrients that can enrich standard animal feed. 

Plastics. Algae can be used to create plastics in a bio-friendly and environment friendly way. To grow algae, companies must find sunlight and waste water. In fact, some companies have begun creating environment friendly plastic products with algae such as water bottles and have coined the phrase "green plastics."

Kazakhstan is a young, developing country. And for technology to develop without harming nature and people, we need to start using algae as a source of green energy. And thanks to this, we can limit the consumption of fossil resources and establish a balance in nature.

Lamps from algae. In the foreseeable future, people should learn to live in harmony with nature. Not only is the light produced in them naturally produced by spirulina algae, the lamps also purify the surrounding air. Also developed furniture with Algae, which will glow slightly in the dark and be able to naturally heat.

Outdoor street lights. The self-powered lanterns by Pierre Calhech use microalgae's ability to produce energy to provide light through the all-natural process of photosynthesis. Also, the lights simultaneously absorb CO2 from the air (each of them processes at least a ton of carbon dioxide per year).

Algae Curtains. Designed by the French Loop.pH, "Algae Curtain-a" are "live" curtains, consisting of transparent tubes, connected together. During the daytime, living Algae are pumped into these tubes for photosynthesis and biofuel production, which can be used to provide energy to the apartment, as well as to provide shade on hot days.

Biodegradable Algae Water Bottles. Algae can be used for creating sustainable materials. Ari Jonsson developed a biodegradable bottle from a mixture of powdered agar and water. Not only is this a completely natural alternative to plastic, a bottle can also ... be eaten.

Algae as an additive to food. Microalgae have already gained success in a specialized food market. Spirulina, a type of Algae, is gaining popularity as a dietary supplement for healthy eating. It is also sold as an alternative to fish oil, as there are omega-3 and omega-7 fatty acids in spirulina. Microalgae are also considered as animal feed because of its many nutrients.

In the end we come to the following conclusions:

• Algae can be used in different areas of production.

• Nature will not be contaminated if we use Algae

• Algae - is a living source of energy

• We can save the earth’s fossil resources to future generations using Algae

• Even the air we breathe is produced by Algae.

References

1.  Waggoner, Ben "Introduction to the Phaeophyta: Kelps and brown "Algae"".

2. Lee, R. E. (2008). Phycology. Cambridge University Press.

3. Nabors, Murray W. (2004). Introduction to Botany. San Francisco, CA: Pearson Education, Inc. 

4. Allaby, M., ed. (1992). "Algae". The Concise Dictionary of Botany. Oxford: Oxford University Press.