Many places having readily available water also have cold winters, which while it can be overcome, increases costs over s sunny desert with few days below 40 degrees.
Having lived in and traveled over much of the Southwest I know thaere’s plenty of land that's “bombing range” quality but without water rights that's all it will ever be.
Perhaps recycling will reduce water needs of an algae farm but as the article says the costs aren't competitive with petroleum and just how uncompetitive few are willing to say.
How does bio-diesel at $10 to $15/gal. sound? If any are able to make it for less than that who are they?
But yes, it might be do able but at what cost?
Uh, you "did" see where I pointed out that water would have to be transported to the site?? If we can pump oil from Louisiana to Chicago, I suspect we can pump water a commensurate distance.
"Many places having readily available water also have cold winters, which while it can be overcome, increases costs over s sunny desert with few days below 40 degrees."
It's called "insulation" and heat storage. Rooftop hot water systems produce warmer water even in winter. Same principle applies.
"Having lived in and traveled over much of the Southwest I know thaere’s plenty of land that's “bombing range” quality but without water rights that's all it will ever be."
See my first point about transporting water.
"Perhaps recycling will reduce water needs of an algae farm but as the article says the costs aren't competitive with petroleum and just how uncompetitive few are willing to say."
Geez---it's a RESEARCH PROJECT. Give the innovators a bit of time to work on it.
"How does bio-diesel at $10 to $15/gal. sound? If any are able to make it for less than that who are they?"
See point above about it being a research project. No one knows what the price will be at this point.
That sounds great to the military. They are usually the source of leaps in technology because initially only they can afford it. When integrated circuits were first invented they cost $1,000 each. The military ordered thousands of them for use in missiles which quickly dropped the price down. Today ICs cost pennies.