ENST Professor Patrick Kangas collects an algae sample from an experimental algal turf raceway located on the Baltimore Inner Harbor.
Image Credit: Edwin Remsberg
After Congress passed comprehensive legislation on New Year’s Day to help America avoid falling off the so-called fiscal cliff, some started questioning why lawmakers didn’t eliminate certain seemingly-obscure tax credits.
One such measure provides for $59 million in tax credits for algae growers trying to create biofuels.
University of Maryland Professor Patrick Kangas with the Department of Environmental Science and Technology was featured in a piece on CNN’s The Situation Room Wednesday evening explaining the benefits of backing algae research.
“Algae actually grows faster than any other kinds of plants,” Dr. Kangas told CNN’s Brian Todd. “That’s why it may well be the best source as a feedstock for biofuel.”
Watch the full CNN report here:
Dr. Kangas has been studying algae and its potential to help reduce water pollution and produce fuel since 1979. He and fellow ENST faculty member Frank Coale developed the Algal Ecotechnology Center in 2011 to serve as an electronic clearinghouse for information about algal-based technologies. Learn more about Professor Kangas’ algae research here.
