Algae is already being used to make biodiesel by companies like Solazyme of California. Now researchers are looking into using algae to make ethanol.

According to the Kalamazoo Gazette, a group of Western Michigan University researchers gave U.S. Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) a presentation of their ideas last week.

Chemistry professor Steven Bertman said, “The unifying theme is recovery of energy from waste.”

Bertman, along with Sarah Hill, assistant professor of anthropology, and John Miller, associate professor of chemistry, are awaiting a $984,000 U.S. Department of Energy grant to support the research.

They expect to project to take two years.