Microalgae, one of the most diverse sets of plants found on the planet, can be found almost anywhere – in a dog’s water bowl, your swimming pool, ponds, oceans, lakes, rivers, on rocks, in soil, on tree bark, in icebergs, steam vents and hot ponds. They have adapted over the years to occupy virtually every environment. Algae are photosynthetic, harvesting light to produce energy in order to make all types of interesting compounds. And many algae also have the capability to grow in the dark on carbon sources to make energy (heterotrophically), and even more amazing some can grow mixotrophically which means they can harvest light and carbon to make energy! They grow incredibly quickly with crops ready for harvesting in as little as 7 days, instead of the 6 months to a year that it can take to produce a crop of land plants. In addition, these crops can be grown on land that is not suitable for traditional crops, and utilize far less water than cultivation of land plants or animals, making them a sustainable crop. As a result of this rich diversity and flexibility, algae are one of the most unexplored and underutilized resources on our planet today. We are currently researching algae for so many purposes: human food, animal feed, waste water clean-up, removal of toxins from environments and people, oils for energy use, and specialty chemicals for soaps and cosmetics, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, etc. The list is endless. We have only just begun to tap this incredible resource! We are beginning to recognize the value of these tiny manufacturing plants called microalgae!
If you are interested in utilizing this incredible resource for any purpose, Harmon Consulting has the expertise and knowledge to accelerate your project and improve your results!
