Could Algae be the Answer to Marcellus Wastewater? Innovative New “Green” Fracking Solution Looking for a Partner
From time to time businesses contact MDN to ask for exposure to their product or service. Most times MDN passes because it wouldn’t be of interest to landowners and industry participants. However, we recently received a request about an intriguing green solution for fracking wastewater.
What if you could use algae to feed on fracking wastewater and convert that wastewater into a harmless (and useful) biofuel? And what if you ramped up the growth rate of the algae by using hydroponics technology? And what if the whole operation, covering just one acre, was enclosed in an inflatable structure that protected the environment around it, and enabled 24/7/365 growth of the algae inside? And what if that one acre super-algae farm could handle 50,000 gallons of fracking wastewater per day? Well then, you’d have something called Algeponics®.
The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to assert itself into states’ business by claiming authority of the federal Safe Water Drinking Act. The latest example was yesterday. The EPA requested (ie demanded) details from six drillers who operate in Pennsylvania on where they will dispose of fracking fluid wastewater now that the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has told drillers that certain municipal sewage treatment plants not specially equipped will no longer be able to accept fracking wastewater. The EPA wants to know where that wastewater will now go.