Which comes first? Identifying the optimal strains (or) identifying the most appropriate environmental parameters (closed or open systems, salt or freshwater, cultivation in tropics or cultivation in temperate climes etc)?

I would say it should be the latter first. What do others say?

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I suggest that a data base of the following be manufactured into an automated detection software:

[All known algae species and each of their material composition ratios and possible end products from each, growth rates, culture density, reproductive nature, all possible nutrient requirements, all possible beneficial and harmful conditions for each, grow regions of each species for water temperature and light requirements, compatible beneficiaries as well as harmful competitors to each species.]

When an invasive species that is not similar yet harmful to the desired species contaminates the culture, the software could tell the system to either increase or decrease certain nutrients. Light and water tempurature could also be manipulated to facilitate growth or non growth of certain competitors. Keep in mind the type of algae being grown will be based on the type of waste products available and the desired products, so the system will also have to account for this as well. If the invasive species is identified by the software as similar or superior to the desired species the system will allow the invasive species to take over. If not the system will fight it. The system could also have the ability to monitor the natural conditions outside of the reactor such as sunlight exposure and weather differential. This will allow the system to better decide what species grows best in a particular environment thus reducing the overall expenditure of energy. All algae growers would have to do is punch in the location of their facility the type of emissions that are being fed to the algae and the desired end products one wishes to make.

Software like this could automatically control the conditions within the culture. By doing so I imagine that the issues of contamination could be solved as well as bring continuity to the industry. This could also make the need for genetic manipulation irrelevant by allowing nature and technology do all the work as they work together.

The best strain of algae to use is based on the conditions and the desired products. The versatility and abundance of algae types should be exploited not controlled.

Nature has in fact already figured out many of the problems for us, we need to only mimic the mechanisms of nature to find the solution.

This would be a great business opportunity for those working in advanced automation and robotics as well as biology and biochemistry.

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Are there online databases that provide details on the micro and macro algal strains that have been identified, and perhaps some bioinformatics details on these strains?

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Utilization of macro-algae for enhanced CO2 fixation and biofuels production: Development of a computing software for an LCA study - http://moritz.botany.ut.ee/~olli/b/Aresta05.pdf

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Posts on Algae Strains @ Oilgae Blog - http://www.oilgae.com/blog/category/algae-strains

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Algal Biofuels Research @ NREL - http://www.nrel.gov/biomass/pdfs/algal_biofuels.pdf

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