The algae industry is still five to 10 years from commercialization, but it has the potential to change our lives.

I use a Britta for drinking water. About a year ago, my girlfriend noticed a neon green film growing from the bottom of the Britta jug. “Damn algae,” I thought to myself. “It grows everywhere.” But that capacity to grow really, really quickly—and practically anywhere—could be the saving grace of humanity (or the cause of more ire).

Among…

Algae-based fuel is a massive leap from corn ethanol, and could already be working within our existing transportation infrastructure—if only its development hadn’t been scrapped by the Clinton Administration.

In the first two editions of this series, we’ve talked about the shortcomings of petroleum as a transportation energy source, as well as the limitations of first generation biofuels, like ethanol and biodiesel, which suffer from the inescapable flaw of directly competing with our food supplies.

Although I believe…

Neither ethanol nor electric vehicles address the real problems.

We have two main “solutions” for curbing the unintended consequences of our use of fossil fuels: first generation biofuels (ethanol and biodiesel) and electric vehicles. I am unapologetic in my belief that both are very flawed solutions. At best, they make only a marginally positive contribution; at worst, they represent a situation where the patient’s medicine can actually make him sicker.

It may seem like heresy for a self-righteous Prius-driving…

Guest writer Joshua Kagan is an analyst with Atlas Capital, a fellow with the Prometheus Institute for Sustainable Technologies, and an all-around expert in the world of clean technology. In this four-part series, he explores a possible transition from fossil fuels to biofuels, and how algae might supplant oil as the dominant energy currency.

It is said that “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” I don’t know the author of this saying, but…