Encyclopedia Britannica defines “biofuel” as “a fuel obtained primarily from oily plants (such as soy or palm oil) and to a lesser extent from other sources oily (such as waste cooking grease from restaurant frying)” (Encyclopedia Britannica Online Academic Edition). Algae is a tiny plant that uses photosynthesis to turn carbon dioxide and sunlight into energy at a very rapid rate, and some species can even "double their weight several times a day" (University of Virginia). The rapid growth rate of algae and the fact that half of their composition by weight is lipid oil, the oil used in biodiesel production, makes algae a very attractive candidate in biofuel production. The use of biofuels and biodiesel in particular is not a new idea. Rudolph Diesel, the inventor of the diesel engine, used peanut oil to run his display engine at the Paris World's Fair in 1900. In the summer of 2012, the people of the United States will see the highest fuel prices they have ever seen. never seen before, and with increased demand for oil globally from developing countries, including India and China, the long-term price of oil is unlikely to decline. Now that the world has realized that fossil fuels won't last forever, the intensification of biodiesel production has begun, and tin scum could be the renewable energy source the United States needs to curb its fuel hunger fossils. “Going Green” may soon take on a whole new meaning. Some researchers suggest that the cost of harvesting and refining oils from algae is not a cost-effective alternative. While this may have been true a couple of years ago, developments in biology and technology are slowly bringing costs to a minimum. In 20...... middle of paper......dependence.com/algaefarms.aspx>.Howell, Katie. “Is Algae Worse Than Corn for Biofuels?: Scientific American.” News, articles and scientific information. January 22, 2010. Web. March 15, 2012. .Kanellos, Michael. “Algae biodiesel: Costs $33 a gallon.” : Green Tech Media. 3 February 2009. Web. 15 March 2012. "Tubular photobioreactor". Biodiesel from algae oil. Network. March 15, 2012. University of Virginia. "Algae: the biofuel of the future?" ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, August 18, 2008. Web. March 19. 2012. .