While algae have been cultured somewhat informally around the world for many centuries as a food or feed source, large scale commercial production is still relatively new. This means that many possible investors and business owners, that are interested in the field, still aren’t aware of all of its potential. Algaculture is a rapidly growing field that has demand around the world. It’s best suited to warmer climates, but greenhouses and covers can extend climate zones to allow for cultivation in cooler areas. Find out exactly why algae are such an appealing group of new crops and what kind of profitable uses they already have.
Benefits of Algae
Algae is a unique group of plants that generally live in water. They include both tiny, single-celled organisms and large macroalgae like seaweed. Regardless of the final use for the algae product, they offer a wide range of benefits like:
- Consumption of CO2 rather than the production of it
- Potential for using existing water features like ponds, lakes, and even the open sea
- Faster growth rate than practically any terrestrial plant life, with some algae double in volume in just a few hours
- Opportunities for genetic modification to increase the growth rate or change what valuable compounds are produced by the algae
- Can be produced on land or in water that’s unsafe or unsuitable for other uses
- Multiple uses for the finished algae products, depending on the species grown.
Biofuel and Oil Production
The most valuable, potential use for commercial algaculture is for biofuel production. Forms of diesel and oil can be made from almost any suitable biomass, and crops like corn and soybeans are already used for this purpose. However, algae can produce a much larger volume and weight of biomass in a smaller facility and in areas where other forms of agriculture are impossible to use. This is the reason that algae biofuels are the primary focus of millions of dollars of development from the U.S. Energy Department and similar programs around the world. Replacing costly and environmentally damaging oil and gas drilling sites with raceways full of algae could help reduce greenhouse emissions while creating a relatively smooth transition away from fossil fuels. Algae is like many other plant-based feedstocks in the fact that it can produce liquid, gaseous, and solid fuels.
Human Food and Supplements
One of the oldest uses for cultivated and wild-harvest algae is for direct human consumption. Macroalgae, like seaweeds in particular, have been eaten and farmed for millennia. However, many types of microalgae like spirulina are now being cultivated for consumption as a food additive or nutritional supplement. Algae can supply high quality proteins, amino acids, and a wide range of essential minerals and vitamins. It’s a more productive and affordable source of plant-based protein than many terrestrial alternatives, especially in areas where growing field crops like soybeans or other legumes is impossible.
Animal Feed for Growing Markets
Keeping livestock fed to match the growing demand for milk, meat, and other by-products like leather, isn’t easy. There’s simply a limit to how much pasture or fields for feed production is available to support expansion. Algae is a great option for supporting existing livestock farms and assisting in market expansion without putting stress on local ecosystems. The high protein feed produced by many microalgae species is ideal for everything from chicken to cows, as long as it’s handled correctly and mixed with the right supplements. Even if it’s only a relatively small part of an animal’s total diet, algae production is often possible right on the same farm to cut down on transportation costs and waste.
Bioplastics
As a rich source of valuable oils that aren’t derived from petroleum, algae is also a good raw material for manufacturing bioplastics. Algae are easily made into both biodegradable and longer lasting polymers with relatively minimal chemical and physical treatment. Some basic bioplastics can be made simply from boiling many macroalgae in water and drying the resulting solution. For plastic production, algae takes far less energy to grow and process than oil does. It’s especially promising for one-use items that have short lifespans and contribute to the growing plastic pollution problem.
Pharmaceuticals
Algae has long been used in the medical field, especially pharmaceutical development, as the primary source of the agar used to culture bacteria and other microorganisms. However, today’s opportunities to use algae for pharmaceutical purposes are far more diverse. Genetic engineering can change the chemicals and compounds produced by the algae, turning each tiny plant into an affordable source of the raw materials for life-saving medications. Many microalgae are so rich in specific lipids, amino acids, or minerals that they’re being used directly as supplements without the need for further genetic engineering.
Fertilizers and Soil Amendments
Another long-standing use for algae is fertilizers or soil amendment. Not only are many algae species good sources of nitrogen and phosphorous as they decompose, but they can also become more valuable as fertilizer by trapping runoff from fields. Algae-filled ponds or infiltration ditches can capture up to 90% of the nitrogen and phosphorus in manure or fertilizer runoff. Not only does this protect surrounding waterways and soil from the dangers of contamination, but it also creates a valuable fertilizer product that’s close at hand. It’s as simple as setting up some raceways with nylon nets to give the algae something to anchor themselves on. The methods available to farmers today already cost about the same as any other manure or fertilizer runoff management system, and that’s before you calculate any offset value from reusing the algae as fertilizer.
Wastewater Purification
As suggested in the above section, algae are valuable processors for all sorts of waste products and contaminants mixed into water. Algae can even work on saline mixtures that are hard to filter and purify with other methods. Wastewater purification is often a secondary process that is easily paired with another purpose like fertilizer production. As long as the finished algae are still safe for the intended uses, there’s no reason not to take advantage of wastewater that already needs treatment.
This is just a selection of the most valuable and important commercial uses for algae. There are dozens of more potential uses, including everything from cosmetics to additives for insulation. No matter what kind of algae production facility you’re interested in building, BTL Liners has the products to fit your designs. Our flexible liners can conform to the narrow and curved shapes of algae raceways and other types of raised bioreactors. With superior UV resistance, there’s no need to worry that outdoor or exposed installation will damage the liner.
