Bio-Grow Uses Electronic Waste to Make Algae for Biodiesel
Posted By Ariel Schwartz On May 12, 2010 @ 4:15 pm In green gadgets,green technology | 1 Comment
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Talk about sustainable multi-tasking. Not only have students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign created a device that cultivates algae [5] for biofuel production, they’ve made it out of old computer parts! Dubbed Bio-Grow, the algae bioreactor features parts from an Apple G4 CPU tower, PVC pipes, acrylic panels, an Apple iMac CRT, and high density foam.
The device also uses a Dell Latitude CPX laptop modified to allow the iMac CRT to turn on different light spectrums and to adjust the temperature. The makeshift tank’s water pump aerates the algae, while a faucet lets users extract algae on demand.
Ultimately, the students hope that their device can change the biofuel game by increasing output and lowering costs of algae production [6] (it doesn’t get much cheaper than recycled electronics). According to the students, if just 6.5% of Americans housed Bio-Grows, they could generate enough algae to completely replace petroleum with biodiesel.
Of course, few homeowners will make or buy a Bio-Grow without some sort of incentive program. But that’s another project altogether.
Via Discovery News [7]
Article printed from Inhabitat – Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building: http://inhabitat.com
URL to article: http://inhabitat.com/bio-grow-uses-electronic-waste-to-make-algae-for-biodiesel/
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[3] Email: mailto:?subject=http://inhabitat.com/bio-grow-uses-electronic-waste-to-make-algae-for-biodiesel/
[4] Image: http://inhabitat.com/2010/05/12/bio-grow-uses-electronic-waste-to-make-algae-for-biodiesel/8684algae/
[5] algae: http://inhabitat.com/2010/05/10/high-flying-algae-airships-are-self-sufficient-airborne-cities/
[6] algae production: http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.inhabitat.com/2010/04/15/stanford-scientists-harvest-electricity-from-algae-photosynthesis/&sa=X&ei=IvnqS8vVOpeytgPMsKSrDw&ved=0CB0QzgQoADAA&usg=AFQjCNF1-PWT9H0-GzFj-2ByJnIml-o7PQ
[7] Discovery News: http://news.discovery.com/tech/electronic-waste-grows-algae.html
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