UGA Helping Grow Algae for Renewable Biofuel

Georgia researchers have teamed up with the University of Puerto Rico to create a renewable energy center.


Algae grows fast, can make a home almost anywhere, and doesn't compete for resources with other important plants -- making it one of the most promising fuel sources for renewable energy, according to a University of Georgia press release.

To help realize that promise, the University of Georgia and the University of Puerto Rico are launching a center in San Juan, aiming to provide power to Puerto Rico and reduce fossil fuel dependence in the U.S. The Defense Department is funding the $4 million project.

UGA has an algae research facility in Athens, and researchers here will study production of different kinds of microalgae grown in wastewater.

"This new center is designed to connect the basic research at the university level with the practical and applied needs of industry and will serve as a gateway for students to find successful careers in this new and rapidly growing industry," UGA engineering outreach faculty member Ryan Adolphson said in the release.

Source: http://athens.patch.com/articles/uga-helping-grow-algae-for-renewable-biofuel