Open University algae-to-fuel project blossoms after government go-ahead

A top research team from the Open University has been encouraged by the government to test an emerging technology that uses algae to treat sewage and produce fuel.

Led by Professor Ho Kin-chung, dean of the university's school of science and technology, the team plans to use local species of algae to test a treatment method that could one day be used to produce energy, purify water and reduce waste.

Ho, an expert in the rapid growth of certain algae that cause red tides, hopes to secure HK$10 million from the government's Innovation and Technology Fund for a pilot scheme at a treatment works in North District which he said could help Hong Kong diversify its economy. Last year, the same request was turned down by the fund. The idea behind the technology was simple, said Ho.

The public often associates algae blooms with the 1998 red-tide disaster that wiped out 80 per cent of fish farm stock, but Ho said many blooms were useful.

Since algae feed on nutrients such as phosphorous and nitrogen, they can help remove pollutants from sewage and minimise the generation of sludge, he said.

According to the researchers, the algae they have studied could comprise up to 30 per cent oil.

Ho said the exponential growth of the single-cell organisms - one millilitre of water could contain 10 million algae after a single day - could quickly create a bloom mature enough for oil harvest. However, the oil would require further processing to be turned into biofuel that could power aircraft or vehicles.