Gasification and algae

[FireNexus]

Can algae be used as a method to sequester carbon in coal/plasma arc gasification schemes? Essentially pumping the co2 into the algae holding cell, let the algae grow, gasifying the algae, then when the gasification of new materials/algae gets to the point where there's too much algae to store, find somewhere to dump it.

Am I missing a big cost here, or just oversimplifying a more complex problem? Or maybe am I adding an unnecessary and costly intermediate step? I just get the impression it would be easier to store away something already sequestered into a biological form than free co2. But I'm not too up to date on my biology these days... And biological rot tends to release the much more globally warming methane... Hmm...

[Ted C]

I believe there is already a proof-of-concept implementation of an algae tank used to remove carbon from the exhaust of a small coal-burning generator. The algae itself can be processed for ethanol and vegetable oils (which can be made into biodiesel).