Indoor “Test Flight” for Algae-Powered Airship
This past week, a new helium-filled airship was test flown in Alabama’s Garret Coliseum, one of the few places large enough to contain the behemoth. They plan to power this airship with algae-based fuels.
‘Our airships are radically different designs that move beyond the performance limitations of traditional blimps or zepplins by combing advanced technology with simple construction and the ability to fuel with algae, protecting our environment.’
Algae is the latest biofuel exciting scientists. It draws carbon dioxide from the atmosphere when it grows and when the derived fuel is burned this same CO2 is released, making the fuel theoretically zero-carbon. Algae farms can also be created using brackish and waste water.
While one concept airship that will be powered by algae discussed a couple weeks ago is still years away from development, this one seems at least seems ready to fly within the year. However, the article never addresses how the company, E-Green Technologies, plans on producing commercially viable algae fuel. That feat, I fear, is going to be a lot harder than developing a helium-filled blimp.
