Spacious countries, such as the U.S., have acres and acres of corn to convert into ethanol, a biofuel alternative to petroleum.
In the island nation of Japan, where land is at a premium, researchers are turning to one resource in ample supply: water.
Toyota Motor Corp.'s top supplier is embarking on a large-scale project to develop biofuel from waterborne algae.
Denso Corp., better known for its fuel injectors, air conditioners and electronics, said it will open a cultivation and testing center in April in western Japan that will have three oval ponds for growing the slimy green microorganisms.
The center will cover 215,300 square feet, or nearly the size of four U.S. football fields. It follows a smaller, 3,200-square-foot testing area in Denso's home prefecture of Aichi.
Using biofuels can reduce dependence on petroleum products and carbon emissions. Proponents of microalgae biofuel say it beats biofuel based on food crops such as corn in several ways.
Algae can grow faster than food crops and are seen as easier to propagate. Algae can also deliver higher oil output from a smaller footprint. Moreover, algae can be grown on land or at sea, and they can be raised on marginal land not fit for crops.
The big downsides are high cost and lack of commercial viability.
Biofuel projects, including Denso's, typically focus on microalgae, which are small or microscopic, as opposed to macroalgae such as seaweed. After harvesting the algae from the water, developers dry the organisms and extract their oil.
Denso has been working to produce biofuel from microalgae since 2008. The supplier, 24.7 percent owned by Toyota, said it aims to have established large-scale cultivation technologies by 2018.
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