Because algae are naturally able to replicate rapidly and produce oils, proteins, alcohols, and biomass, they have attracted the attention of researchers and industrial producers seeking alternatives to oil. Algae thrive on organic carbon or CO2 and nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. This makes it easy to grow the plant in mass productions. However, manipulation of nutrients has not proved successful in increasing algal productivity. Researchers, for instance, have found that when algae naturally produce hydrocarbons – molecules that can most readily substitute for today's petroleum uses –growth and reproduction are limited. So in certain conditions algae will take longer to produce than to dig oil which proves as a problem to our vast consumer base.

Bio-fuels are looked upon as the future of our fuel needs and are being rapidly developed. In the short term experiences bio-fuels will be used as a substitution to harsh fuels such as oil and in the long term bio-fuels will be used to power and fuel everything.