What's wrong with that?? The US has LOTS of "square miles" with high solar irradicance which is useful for little else. You'd have to bring in and recycle water, but that's do-able.
I wonder if this algae could be used to treat waste water? Could you imagine cleaner water and a source for fuel? That would be great, if possible, but the leftist anti-science demagogues would try to ban it.
Many places having readily available water also have cold winters, which while it can be overcome, increases costs over s sunny desert with few days below 40 degrees.
Having lived in and traveled over much of the Southwest I know thaere’s plenty of land that's “bombing range” quality but without water rights that's all it will ever be.
Perhaps recycling will reduce water needs of an algae farm but as the article says the costs aren't competitive with petroleum and just how uncompetitive few are willing to say.
How does bio-diesel at $10 to $15/gal. sound? If any are able to make it for less than that who are they?
But yes, it might be do able but at what cost?