March 22, 2016

                                                                

Algae-based feed could abate global temperature, study says

 

 

The employment of algae as animal feed could aid in the reduction of global temperature by 2°C by 2100, a recent study claimed.

 

Algae-based feed may even reverse the temperature back to what it once was, at atmospheric carbon concentrations of the preindustrial era.

 

The analysis, "New feed sources key to ambitious climate targets", published in the December 2015 issue of Carbon Balance and Management, describes the cultivation of algae in liberating millions of acres currently used to produce pasture and feed crops. This also helps to mitigate the tension between food security and bioenergy crops.

 

Combining with a modest application of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), algae-feed planting can lead to significant cuts in atmospheric carbon.

 

Replacing just 10% of agricultural feed with algae and capturing 25% of energy sector emissions could reduce global warming by within 2°C. Higher combinations of algae feed and CCS are shown to cause a net decline in atmospheric carbon concentrations.

 

"This remarkable report shows that algae cultivation can play an outsized role in limiting greenhouse gas concentrations to levels that can avert the worst consequences of global warming, while also meeting the challenge of sustainably feeding a growing world population," said Matt Carr, executive director of the Algae Biomass Organization. "Algae's ability to consume waste CO2 from power plants, grow prolifically in waste or salt water and provide protein and oils makes it an incredible resource. This report is a strong case for increased investment in algae technology."

 

The findings show that algaculture adopted at any scale would have a direct effect on greenhouse gas emissions. Its promise exceeds that of other biomass solutions, which not only face competition for arable land, but could affect land that is currently acting as a carbon sink.

 

"On large scales, this establishes the conditions for cascading greenhouse emissions savings and a return to preindustrial atmospheric carbon concentrations," according to the study. "Though previously thought unattainable, carbon sinks and climate change mitigation of this magnitude are well within the bounds of technological feasibility."

 

Algae-based feeds have been proven to be equal to or better than other feedstocks in nutritional value and digestibility, and could free large swaths of arable land and simultaneously address food security issues in an era of rising demand for animal proteins. Research has already shown that algae can be used as a highly effective component of animal feed, and can be produced with much smaller land and water inputs.

 

The authors recognise the complexity of changes to the global agricultural system, but emphasise the feasibility of their proposed solution, concluding with a call for greater attention to be focused to the algae industry. Based on feasible costs, the authors estimate that algae could have supplied 40% of global feedstock in 2013 for between US$420 - US$920 billion (2013), highlighting as a comparison the US$550 billion (2013) given in fossil fuel subsidies that year.

 

This study comes at a critical juncture in climate change mitigation discussions, with an emphasis placed at COP21 in Paris on net greenhouse gas neutrality and the importance of carbon sinks.

 

- Algae Biomass Organization