[link|http://www.distributiondrive.com/Article15.html|This] seems to be from 2002, but it doesn't include algae.

Some numbers from the UK:
[image|http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_roads/documents/graphic/dft_roads_028393-2.jpg|0|UK Biodiesel production costs|378|646]

The above graph from a UK government report from April 2004 shows that their production costs for biodiesel made from waste vegetable oil (WVO) is a little more (~ 20% more) than the cost of diesel from crude. But that's mainly due to the historically low price of WVO at the moment. However, the price would go up significantly (due to the lack of supply) if biodiesel production increased significantly. The recent spike in crude prices would tilt the balance in biodiesel's favor, but maybe not enough to make it economical to use other vegetable oils like imported palm oil. (Rape seed oil is produced in the UK.) Algae again isn't mentioned. More on the UK's biofuel stuff is [link|http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_roads/documents/page/dft_roads_028393-04.hcsp|here].

I would hope that the US DOE is intensively looking at biofuels with crude being rather expensive and the dollar being rather weak, but their web site for [link|http://www.eere.energy.gov/biomass/|biomass] projects being unresponsive, and with the administration not saying anything public about it, doesn't give me a good feeling.

Cheers,
Scott.