In 2009, Galileo University launched an investigation to determine the energy potential of algae that is contaminating Lake Amatitlan, with encouraging preliminary results.
According to Judith Maria Diaz, principal investigator of the project, "two species (of the 52 identified in the lake) produced oil with a quality suitable for use in biodiesel production, making it possible to produce biodiesel by extracting oil from the microalgae biomass in the lake. "
Meanwhile Rodrigo Blanco, a biologist and lead researcher of the University laboratory, said that one hectare of palm oil yields about 5950 liters of oil per year, the same amount of algae can produce up to 136,900 liters.
"This translates into a product that is more than twenty times more efficient. In addition, its cultivation favours arid climates and terrain unsuitable for agriculture, so it would not compete with food production areas and would reduce the impact on natural ecosystems", said Blanco in Prensalibre.com.
Source: prensalibre.com
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