The Alternative Fuel That’s Growing Exponentially
Outside of science and trade magazines, you probably won’t read too much about the prospects of algae energy. But the potential is certainly there. Just look at how algae stack up against our government-sponsored ethanol:
One acre of corn can yield about 28 gallons of oil in one year. In more tropical regions, an acre of palms can yield about 6,700 gallons of oil per year. But algae are in a class all their own. An acre of algae can yield anywhere between 20,000-100,000 gallons of oil per year.
This is possible because algae really do grow like weeds. An alga plant can completely reproduce up to six times per day. Try doing that with corn, which takes an entire season to grow.
The sad thing is that the powers-that-be used to have a true interest in algae’s potential. The Dept. of Energy researched its viability for almost 20 years before canning the program in 1996. They were certain algae couldn’t compete with oil at $20 per barrel.
But now public sentiment is shifting in alternatives’ favor. Never mind oil’s recent plunge — businesses and the public are craving better ways to power their buildings and vehicles.
More Potential Than Pipe Dream
We’ve noticed that algae oil has received some press recently — in the most unlikely of places. The December issue of Esquire actually ran an informative two-page spread on algae oil and its potential.
Algae oil is becoming a more viable energy option every day as additional money is pushed in its direction. In fact, venture capital money is finding its way to algae oil technology developers at a rapid pace.
The private startup Sapphire Energy, which is perfecting synthetic algae technology, has scored more than $100 million in private financing. This even includes money from Cascade Investment, an investment holding company owned by Bill Gates.
Even with oil’s recent dip below $40, work on algae fuel continues at breakneck speeds. Several small companies are vying for the lion’s share of the algae fuel business. The winners stand to make their early investors very wealthy.
Best,
Greg Guenthner
December 26, 2008
Greg Guenthner
Greg Guenthner heads up Agora Financial’s small-cap division and is the founder of one of the only independent OTC research advisories in the industry. A graduate of George Mason University, Guenthner joined Agora in 2005 after several years as a journalist. He is managing editor of Penny Stock Fortunes and Bulletin Board Elite.
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Nice writing. You are on my RSS reader now so I can read more from you down the road.
Allen Taylor
More about investing in algae, please.
Are any of these “Several small companies” publically traded? If so, what are the stock symbols? Thanks.
I am also interested in learning of any of these “several small companies” are publically traded and the stock symbols.
Thanks
Please send the stock symbols for the companies you discussed in your article.
Thanks for the informative article!…Please send the stock symbols of the algae companies. Thanks!
When the oil prices soared to over $140 per barrel, it did not help the economy, and I believe investers who were missinformed caused oil to go that high, and now the demand has dropped, and alternatives are being used more and more, and I believe that you are wrong about rising oil prices, telling us that the recession is over. We have a recession at the turn of every decade, and wealth changes hands, and this is what recessions are about, and no one will ever change that, and no stimulous package will ever change this.
algae co s please
algae stocks please
I am interested.
What are the results ?
Where is the refinery for this algae ?
How far along are they ?
wlb