What are algae?
Algae are plants that grow underwater - they include seaweed and pond scum. The types of algae being investigated for biofuels are
single-celled, microscopic algae that contain a lot of oil.
Like other plants, algae capture energy from the Sun to make oil. Algae are more efficient at doing this than other plants and so are much better at producing oil. Oil can form up to 60% of the total mass of some types of algae in the right conditions.
So what else is special about algae?
| 
Green algae like this one could be used to make biofuels because they contain a lot of oil.
Image: Peter York |
|
