Algae As A Biodiesel Feedstock

David James takes a look at the tanks in which algae is growing for a biodiesel operation at the Eastwood Christian School Friday.

By Donathan Prater

Published: April 5, 2008

In most cases, referring to someone as pond scum would be considered an insult.

However, for one Opelika man, the term potentially represents keen insight in addressing the fuel needs of the world someday in the not too distant future.

Earlier this week, David James, headmaster of Eastwood Christian School in Opelika, had a number of representatives from area laboratories and the U.S. Department of Agriculture present as he demonstrated a process in which algae (pond scum) could be collected from water, dried and pressed using a kinetic energy machine to extract oil that could be used as a fuel source.

May 19, James plans to have a much larger alternative energies demonstration at Eastwood Christian School, where he will have equipment on the site of his school, capable of gathering algae used to make biodiesel fuels.

A number of state officials, television networks, the National Guard and even a zeppelin fueled with biodiesel made from algae will hover over the private school on May 19.

The vehicles at the school will all be running on a number of biodiesel fuels made from algae as well.

“Today we’re proving that this can really happen,” said James, who was attempting to extract biodiesel from algae for the first time