By Liz Nagy

Three professors at University of Virginia are taking going green literally. They are in the process of growing and studying the use and benefits of pond algae as a way to power cars and planes.

They say it's cheap and a ready resource to use at any time.

"Algae is a really good one because it's 20-200 times as productive as crops like corn or soybeans. It doesn't require potable water, it doesn't require as much land, and the land doesn't have to be fertile land," stated Associate Professor of Commerce Mark White.

White says algae-based biofuel was used in a test flight last week.