Who needs those stinkin' coal if you've got seaweed? Japanese researchers have developed a biomass fermentation system that uses seaweeds to generate electricity!
A test facility constructed in Yokohama first crushes large amounts of seaweed into a sludge-like state. After using microorganisms to break down this semi-liquid material, the methane gas that results from this process is used as fuel for a gas engine that produces electricity. In the tests to date, one ton of seaweed has been processed per day, allowing the collection of 20 kiloliters of methane gas. In order to boost efficiency, this is blended with natural gas and converted into 10 kilowatts of electricity per hour. At present production levels, this is enough energy to power 20 households, and this energy is currently used to power lighting in offices at the plant, among other things.