The use of cyanobacteria as an alternative source of biofuel production is being studied by a team of researchers at the Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture (CENA) at the University of São Paulo. "Cyanobacteria are bacteria capable of photosynthesis and are among the oldest living organisms on the planet. Their use in the production of biofuel is highly advantageous because they are a cheap and abundant raw material and do not pose a conflict with regard to food production," researcher Caroline Pamplona told Tierramérica.

Another benefit of so-called "cyanodiesel" is its potential profitability. "Corn produces 168 liters of oil per hectare, for the production of biofuel. These photosynthetic microorganisms could produce around 140,000 liters per hectare," said Pamplona.

"Studies are still underway and we don’t expect conclusive results yet, but I believe this fuel source could become a major energy supplier," she concluded.