Energy Source from The Cultivation of Floating Micro-Algae?

I have always wondered the possibility to have a sustainable source of bio energy on a scale that can compete with fossil fuels but does not consume as much water, land, or fertilizers that any bio-fuels would normally require.

Recently, I read an interesting scientific journal entitled, "Microalgae Cultivation Using Offshore Membrane Enclosures for Growing Algae (OMEGA)" which explained the prospect of cultivating micro-algae that lives mostly on coastal area, feeds on waste water, and forms oil as the byproduct. This immediately caught my attention, and I began to read further just to discover another amazing feature being proposed in this idea. Unlike any other more conventional primary energy sources, this alternative form of bio-fuel does not emit large volumes of carbon dioxide, as the micro-algae can photosynthesize; utilizing solar energy to produce oxygen and take in carbon dioxide instead.

This seems to be a promising solution to end human's dependency on fossil fuel which causes many harms to the environment due to the production of large amount of harmful pollutants. In addition, excessive smog generated from the combustion of coal can impose negative health consequences and degrade the immediate ecosystem. On the other hand, apart from solving the energy crisis, the cultivation of micro-algae to produce bio-fuel can assist us in treating waste water discharged from nearby coastal cities (primary source of nutrient), reducing carbon dioxide emission, and re-allocating precious fresh water for food production instead of synthesizing other, more conventional bio-fuels, such as palm oil.

However, as I read further, I questioned if  this alternative seems to good to be true? If it is, why would not cities or nations collaborate to invest more resources to develop this seemingly perfect solution to our current energy crisis/dilemma? I could think of two possible reasons:

1. There has yet to be a thorough research or enough safety evidences to prove that cultivating this type of micro-algae would do more good than harm. Let say if this organism can synthesize toxic substances that can affect the marine life, nearby coastal residences, and even settlements located further away. Not only does this affect the ecosystem, but also the economies of the city as fisherman may not be able to catch sufficient fish, people may contract new types of diseases, and government may need to invest more capital to mitigate the consequences. So, I feel that there is a large extent of fear that may be tied in with the possible negative implications associated with this idea.

2.  Oppositions may arise in countries with a severe water crisis issue (Singapore may be one of them). Imagine the waste water, the main ingredient of this system, is discharged into the ocean to produce bio-fuel. The waste water, which is normally treated and recycled, will be lost in exchange for energy/bio fuel. To some water-scarce nations, this trade may not be necessarily favorable. Furthermore, to some countries, this idea is not viable as they have no nearby/immediate access to coastal environment.

The journal and many people are hopeful that this idea can become a future alternative for our current energy crisis. I'm hopeful that if this idea were to be realized, our energy source would be much cleaner and more environmentally friendly.

Reference:

Journal Article taken from:

P. Wiley, L. Harris, S. Reinsch, S. Tozzi, T. Embaye, K. Clark, B. McKuin, Z. Kolber, R. Adams, H. Kagawa, T. Richardson, J. Malinowski, C. Beal, M. Claxton, E. Geiger, J. Rask, J. Campbell and J. Trent, "Microalgae Cultivation Using Offshore Membrane Enclosures for Growing Algae (OMEGA)," Journal of Sustainable Bioenergy Systems, Vol. 3 No. 1, 2013, pp. 18-32