Sally sells algae by the seashore. Or does she? Actually, Sally works for Shell Oil Company and will be heavily involved in farming algae on the shores of Hawaii that will in turn create biodiesel for cars and trucks.
Shell has teamed up with HR Biopetroleum, Inc. in a joint venture named Cellana to grow algae in seawater ponds on the coasts of Kona. Quickly multiplying native Hawaiian algae strains will be used to produce vegetable oil that in turn will be used to create biodiesel fuel.
Select strains of algae are able to multiply several times a day and may be able to yield 15 times the vegetable oil as other comparable crops such as palm soya or jatropha. This demonstration will have a small carbon footprint and the algae will also researched as a possible carbon sink for other industries.