Algae produce combustible organic similar to gasoline, they just process the waste and continue to survive so they can take up more CO2 from the atmosphere.

>rising carbon emissions some how.

Agreed, however my point is that by burning algae produced fuel, you are still putting CO2 into the atmosphere…exactly the same amount as you would be if you were burning real fossil based fuel. If you've already captured the CO2 with the algae, the sensible thing is to keep it bound up…sure grow the algae, but don't burn it…keep that carbon bound up. It makes not one iota of difference to climate change whether the CO2 comes from –vfossil or bio. At the end of the day, when you've driven to work you've still put your 3 or 4 kilograms of CO2 into the atmosphere that wasn't there before.

The only possible benefits to biofuels are economic, renewability and to perhaps reduce dependency on middle eastern suppliers who can't always be guaranteed to be friendly, but there is no benefit climate change wise.

In fact the best way to fight climate change is simply take the "fuel" out of the whole "biofuel" concept, and just plant and grow as much greenery as possible, but don't convert it to fuel. That way you avoid the pointless infrastructure of conversion and continue to use the efficient methodologies already in place for extracting petroleum from the earth while new enerty technologies are developed.

2. It is not necessary that we use the natural algae for this process we can grow genetically modified algae in lab and use that (as is being done in US) but that could be done only after conducting studies like this one.

3. I'm pretty sure that the algae do not die in the process. Also, as the Guardian article states, their growth rate is very high so replenishment is not a problem.

what's the point? You start harvesting algae and you are going to have an environmental impact. Wheres the benefit? It's certainly isn't anythinng to do with climate change, although it might arguably be economic. Sure fossil fuels are limited in supply, but if anything biofuels are going to be more harmful, since the greenhouse gas effect is ( nearly ) identical. With fossil fuels you aren't mucking about with ecosystems (any more than biofuels ). You start taking all that algae out the ecosystem, it can't be without consequences. better to stick with fossil and develop alternatives.

@ Michael. The scientists have initiated the study to look how best this resource can be utilized. I think farms could be created given the great abundance of algae on Britain's shores. A British minister also stated that they would like to do it in manner so that rural economy also benefits.

The only way to reduce emissions is use a non carbon energy source, hydrogen, hydro, wind, solar etc.

If your burning biofuels your not helping anything climate wise. The atmosphere doesn't care where the CO2 comes from.