Is seaweed the future of alternative energy sources like biofuel?
Friday, March 16, 2012 by: J. D. Heyes 
Picture: This is a picture of seaweed. Seaweed might soon be an alternate source of energy.
Summary: Many scientists are trying to figure out an alternate source of energy. They think they might have found one. Biofuels are driving up the cost of feeding the world but Israeli researchers found that seaweed may do the trick. Some benefits of using seaweed are that it grows quickly, and it doesn't destroy ecosystems. In fact, harvesting seaweed is beneficial to the environment and helps out sea life. "While biomasses grown on land have the potential to inflict damage on the environment, the researchers believe that producing biofuel from seaweed-based sources could even solve problems within the marine environment." This proves that is it helps the environment and is a very good idea. In many costal regions the air is being polluted from human waste and fish farming. Seaweed could potentially solve these problems. Researchers are trying to increase the carbohydrate and sugar content of the seaweed beds, this will increase the bioethanol production. Some studies found that seaweed can be a valuable source of biofuels that does not compete with food or land or require fresh water to grow. The biggest problem of using seaweed as an alternate source of energy is that standard microbes cannot readily metabolize its primary sugar constituent. This makes the use of seaweed too inefficient and too expensive. The researchers found that they could digest all the sugars found in the seaweed. There plan has worked and they are going to continue to work on this project.
Opinion: I think that this is going to be big. I really believe that these scientists found a very efficient and clean, alternate source of energy. It amazes me to learn about this because the lack of fossil fuels is a very big topic around the world. Also, it's really cool that they found something that doesn't even harm ecosystems. The fossil fuels have very negative impacts on our environment and they are polluting the Earth. The only bad thing is that it could be expensive but maybe in the future they can find a way to reduce the prices and it could be used for certain things throughout the world. I don't think that it is powerful enough to do a lot but it certainly could be used for little things. If these researchers continue to work on this i believe that it will be a new, alternate source of energy.
Questions:
1. Do you think seaweed could someday be a source of alternate energy? Why?
2. What are some other sources of alternate energy sources?
3. Do you think seaweed will be successful as a source of energy or do you think it would fail? Explain.
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Opinion/Reflection: I believe that if the scientists continue to work hard on this study, something big could come from this. In science, we are learning about how we could soon run out of some of the fossil fuels. The seaweed could potentially fix this problem. Also, fossil fuels are very expensive, so using seaweed can also help with that problem. It is very cool to think that something as, what I think is pointless, and make it a source of energy. I never would have thought to do something like that. I am glad people have finally started to realize that the issue on fossil fuels needs to be fixed. In science we learned that one of the fossil fuels, oil, could run out in 75 or less years at the rate we are using it at. That is insane. Although scientists are already starting this research with seaweed, I believe that it may still be a few years until it starts to become "big". This means that we need to be conservative with our fossil fuels, or else we may run out and be forced to turn to alternative energy. The fact that they are using seaweed as a source of energy is fascinating, and I hope it helps.
ReplyDeleteAnswer to Question #2: In class we learned that there are other sources of alternative energy also. Solar energy is energy that is obtained by the sun while wind energy takes the wind to make energy. There is also wave energy that uses the energy and force made by waves and uses that as a source of energy. There are many alternative energies that can help the environment!
Opinion/Reflection:
ReplyDeleteThat is so cool that we could use seaweed for biofuel! It is truly amazing that they are coming up with new biofuels that could help save the world. Even though seaweed is still a work in progress it could still help do the little things we use fuel for. I have always found seaweed a bother when I go into the ocean but actually it is pretty important if we can use it to make biofuel. In school we are learning about fossil fuels and how they are running out and polluting the air. This could potentially become an alternative fossil fuel that is healthier to use for the world. My family just got a Prius and it is very cool because it doesn't just run on gas but on electricity as well. This is much healthier for the environment. I hope soon we can find a cleaner fuel to burn so we can start helping the world.
Answer to question 2: In class we are learning all about fossil fuels right now and there are a couple of alternate energy sources we are using. We are using nuclear, solar, wind, tidal, hydro-electric, wave, and geothermal power. We are using all these energies because they are all very healthy for the environment and mostly all of them are renewable. By scientists being able to find alternative energy sources it will benefit our world and keep it healthier. I hope in the future we will be able to find more of them.
Opinion: It would be very good if seaweed could be used for a biofuel. It is very plentyful and relatively easy to get. If it became a biofuel I might think about trying to get it. I could make good money and help other people. Also growing seaweed will not harm the environment. It is great because seaweed has potential to help the environment and help people too. I believe that scientist are on to something here and if they keep working on it it will greatly help many things.
ReplyDeleteAnswer to number 1: I think that seaweed will eventually be used for an alternative energy source. Scientist have not completely found the solution to seaweed as an alternative source but I believe they will. People are very smart if they put there minds to it. Seaweed as an alternative energy source is a great idea and I hope it works out.
Opinion/ Reflection:
ReplyDeleteI wonder how the israeli researchers thought of using seaweed. I can't believe it! It'd be cool to be driving and say that you use seaweed to drive around. I like that it would be easy to get because oil will be running out in later years. I'm also glad that it is good for the environment because we don't need another thing harming the environment. I hope that this becomes locally known and actually gets used. We just have to debate on whether it is worth the price in the future or not. I hope it is because it seems like a very good idea. I totally agree with Ryan when he said seaweed was always a bother for him in the ocean. I hate steeping on seaweed in the ocean so hopefully there will be less on the shore and more being used to make biofuel.
Answer to #2:
I also did my blog on alternative energy and I found some very crazy sources for alternative energy. Some examples are watermelon, dead people, waste from humans, cocoa, turkey guts, and more. I would have never of thought of using these as alternative energy source. Some of them I probably would not like to use just because it would be so weird to use. However, if it was really sufficient and successful then maybe I would.