View Source | June 7, 2014
Bruce Rittmann, director of The Biodesign Institute and a distinguished sustainability scientist, recently appeared on the Australian radio program The Science Show. Here he discussed the fuel-producing potential of cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, with the show's host Robyn Williams.
During the program, Rittman described his team’s work to replace many of the substances we currently source from petroleum, such as diesel and jet fuel, with cynobacteria. He explained that these smaller, more simple organisms are up to 100 times more efficient in their use of sunlight than plants like green algae. Additionally, they are more easily managed and can utilize carbon dioxide from facilities like power plants for photosynthetic purposes.