Approximately 17% of the oil imported into the U.S. for cars, trucks and buses could be replaced by algal fuel by 2020, according to a study by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
Still, biofuel demand, due to rising oil prices and federal and state policies, will grow, and algae remains one of the more promising feedstocks.
"Algae has been a hot topic of biofuel discussions recently, but until now, no one has taken such a detailed look at how much America could make and how much water and land it would require," said Mark Wigmosta, lead author of the study and a PNNL hydrologist. "This research provides the groundwork and initial estimates needed to better inform renewable-energy decisions."