The applications for algae are continually expanding. In Imperial Valley , California
for example, algae are being grown on saltwater and used to supplement animal
feeds. The algae require considerably less land than corn or soybean production
and can still produce a high protein supplement for animals to eat. Another
example, Accelergy, is a company producing algae based bio-fertilizers. Algae
are good bio-fertilizers as they can provide the important nutrients to improve
soil fertility while still producing significantly less emissions than
traditionally produced fertilizers. Other companies mentioned include, Sapphire Energy,
Cellana, and Earthrise Nutritionals which produce a variety of algae based
products for biofuels, animal feeds, and nutritional supplements. The algae
industry has steadily expanded over the last 5 years being responsible for an
incredible 1,020 jobs and $175 million economic output in the San Diego region alone. With such impressive
growth I look forward to the continued innovation and increased scale in the
algae production industry.
Thanks for reading,
Brett Nelson
University Scholar – CALS
Bioenergy and Sustainable Technology Lab