Late bloomer

In-Depth

Producing biofuels from algae could ease the pressure on land use and even help with carbon capture and storage, but technological problems are stalling development. Stuart Nathan reports

The image of biofuels has taken a pounding in the past year. First promoted as the answer to the depletion of oil reserves, a way of cutting greenhouse gas emissions and reducing dependence on imported fuels, they are now being cast as an environmental villain.

Biofuels are blamed for damaging biodiversity and those based on grain and oilseeds are now claimed to be pushing up food prices as farmers grow crops for oil rather than food. A recent

report said biofuels were the major factor in a 75 per cent increase in food prices. Last year, the

called for a moratorium on their production.

But crops such as maize, oilseed rape and palm oil are not the only potential sources of biofuels. While fuel companies are busy developing second-generation biofuel technology which would convert wood chips and agricultural 'waste' such as straw into hydrocarbons, attention is also focusing on an alternative source.

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