Backyard Biofuels, Algaepalooza kick off

In Missouri, residents throughout the St. Louis region are being encouraged to participate in Backyard Biofuels, a quest to find the ideal algal species that will produce the best biofuels.  Algae collecting season is being kicked off this year at Algaepalooza on Saturday, May 7 from 10am to 4pm in the Life Science Lab at the Saint Louis Science Center.

At Algaepalooza, visitors will have the opportunity to talk with the research scientists behind the project and learn why algae have the potential to be a sustainable source of fuel used to power cars, trucks and jet airplanes. As well as how to identify various types of algae and participate in hands-on experiments and activities like painting with algae and make algae ball necklaces. 

Last year, 1,000 families and individuals were given collection kits, and approximately 170 samples were cultured in the Life Science Lab to isolate individual algae species that produce oil. More than 100 of those isolated strains were sent to the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Institute for Renewable Fuels at the Danforth Plant Science Center, where they were tested for how much oil could be made and used for biofuel production.  Those that showed promise are undergoing additional tests.

“Ten samples from last year’s algae gave high readings of oil production. Such encouraging results wouldn’t be possible without the help of citizen scientists.” said Matthew Stevens, senior lab technician at the Danforth Plant Science Center who conducts the research for the Backyard Biofuels program. “This year we have a goal to identify an algae species that boast better oil productivity than last year.”