Newspaper discourses shore up an unviable energy technology: Algae biofuels in the United States

Algal biofuels, an environmentally friendly 3rd generation biofuel technology, have been touted as a desirable alternative ‘drop-in’ fuel for oil in transportation, including aviation. Since the Aquatic Species Program in the 1980s, algal biofuels, while technically feasible, have been shown to be economically unviable as a consumer product. Nonetheless, the United States has continued to invest in algal biofuels through subsidies, tax incentives, and mandates. This paper analyzes how public discourse, as expressed in five major national newspapers, socially constructs the desirability of algal biofuels in the United States from 2005 to 2020, a critical period in their development. The research identifies seven distinct discourses (Energy Security, Government Message, Innovation, Economic, Other Alternatives, Environmental Concerns, and Climate Change) with nine primary agents (algal biofuel producers; big auto; aviation companies; big oil; economic, energy, and environmental experts; government agencies; and U.S. Presidents) driving the conversation. The results show a positive desirability for algal biofuels (>70 %), however, the situated meanings and figured worlds of each discourse frame desirability differently. We conclude that the desirability of algal biofuels will be determined by how the Innovation discourse is framed and how it interacts with the urgency of current threats and opportunities.