Turning against Evolution Increases Algal Biomass Production

摘要

One of the best routes to producing renewable chemicals and fuels is the algal route. Algae do not require fertile soil that plant-based biomass require. They also do not compete with arable land for food and neither do they shift the balance of natural ecosystems when cultivated. Algae primarily require natural sunlight as input and can produce several commercially viable chemicals as output,if engineered to do so. However, one challenge that researchers face while engineering algae, is the problem of light processing. Algae are known to capture almost 100% of incident light. However, they are also known to waste up to 75% of the captured light, because they do not have the ability to process all the light into energy, and most of it is dissipated as heat or florescence.