Salt-loving algae could be the key to the successful development of biofuels as well as being an efficient means of recycling atmospheric carbon dioxide, according to Professor John Cushman of the University of Nevada. Speaking at the Society for General Microbiology meeting at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, last week (10 September), Professor Cushman explained that the current major limitation of biofuel production is the lack of adequate feedstocks, but halophytic (salt-loving) micro-algae can be grown on marginal lands with brackish or salt water unsuitable for traditional agriculture.

The growth of halophytic micro-algae, said Cushman, is non-seasonal, making them 10-30 times more productive than terrestrial crops. They can be grown on municipal wastewater and have widespread potential for recycling carbon dioxide.

Using geothermal heat, Professor Cushman has been able to extend the growing season for algae production from three months to nine months in colder climates.

"Our work aims to find suitable algal strains to use for biofuel production", said Professor Cushman. "We need to identify the key components of the biosynthetic pathway to learn how to improve oil production and alter desirable oil characteristics with immediate and significant impact on the emerging algal feedstock biofuels industry".