Biofuels made from algae are seen as one of cleaner, more versatile and efficient alternatives to our petroleum-guzzling cars that release harmful gases and pollutants into the environment. Much progress has been made in developing methods to produce and use algae-based biofuels to power our vehicles and to move us closer to a clean energy economy. But one big hurdle persists. The cost of producing algae-based biofuels remains high. The Arizona Center for Algae Technology and Innovation, whose leadership and research staff include Fulton Schools faculty members, is making progress in creating and using algae-based technology to produce renewable products such as biofuels, plastic alternatives and nutraceuticals. Still, many of the processes used in those operations can require big capital costs. So, researchers are now adding cost-efficiency to their list of goals in efforts to maintain the promising potential for algae engineering to become a robust source of both technological and environmental advancements.