The Eco-Friendly Fuel of the Future

A carbon-negative crop that can contribute to the mitigation of climate change, algae are also a viable source of biofuel. Working with Hiroshima University, Mazda is making significant inroads into its future use.

Words: Louise George Kittaka

Seaweed is synonymous with Japanese cuisine and has been cultivated since organised farming began in Edo Bay in the mid-17th century. It is also the focus of climate-change-enforced innovation, as farmers look to cross-pollinate varieties to create new crops more resilient to rising sea temperatures.  

Seaweeds and other algae can be grown without the need for pesticides and fertilisers, and do not cause any major physical change to the environment. Moreover, they can play an important role in fighting climate change by absorbing carbon emissions and regenerating marine ecosystems. They are also developing a reputation as a sustainable and eco-friendly resource for biofuel production.

Biofuels are liquid fuels produced from renewable biological resources, such as plants and algae, and offer low-carbon solutions for the transportation sector. Offering a significant advantage as a biofuel over other crops – including soybeans and palm oil for biodiesel, and sugarcane and corn for ethanol – algae can grow in both fresh water and seawater, and its cultivation does not displace farmland used for producing food. Attention is turning to microalgae – microscopic algae invisible to the naked eye – with a species known as Nannochloropsis now at the forefront of biofuel research. In cooperation with Hiroshima University, Mazda is employing cutting-edge technology to develop high-quality oil from Nannochloropsis, with a view to using it as a substitute for fossil fuels in future Mazda vehicles.

A Fruitful Partnership

Mazda and Hiroshima University enjoy a symbiotic relationship, since Mazda is headquartered in Hiroshima prefecture and many of its employees are graduates of the university. A joint research course in next-generation automotive technology was established in 2015, paving the way for the current work on microalgae as a biofuel.

Japan is a relatively small country with limited natural resources. Sakamoto notes that it is important for Japan to come up with multiple solutions to reduce CO₂ emissions and to establish systems whereby this technology can be implemented and combined in an optimal fashion.

In turn, this technology also has the potential to play a significant role on the world stage. “Our joint research with Mazda offers an important solution for CO₂ reduction: It tackles the difficult challenge of achieving carbon neutrality while continuing to make use of the internal combustion engine and its infrastructure – which are used in every corner of the globe,” Sakamoto says.

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