If you read, watched, or listened to any news in 2018 and 2019, you almost certainly came across Exxon’s ads for algae biofuel.They were everywhere: in TV commercials, in print ads and digital banners, and in a New York Times paid post about ‘The Future of Energy.’ They all promoted the idea that Exxon was helping to solve climate change by turning green algae into a renewable, sustainable fuel source that could one day replace petroleum.Between 2017 and 2019, the company spent $60 million airing just three algae commercials, including during the World Series and NBA championships. So we can only imagine how much they spent on all the algae ads cumulatively across platforms.These ads have already faced a ton of scrutiny and accusations of greenwashing. And by 2023, Exxon had pulled its funding for algae research entirely, acknowledging that they could not hit the targets they had promised. But now, newly reported testimony shows that Exxon always knew its algae biofuel ads were complete bullshit—at least, well before they aired most of these ads. HEATED is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.The testimony comes from documents disclosed in Massachusetts’ ongoing climate deception lawsuit against Exxon, which Inside Climate News reporter Nicholas Kusnetz examined for a story published last week.During a deposition, attorneys for Massachusetts asked an Exxon scientist who worked on the algae biofuels program about the company’s claim that it could produce 10,000 barrels of algae biofuel a day by 2025. The attorneys asked: Was that claim misleading?’Yes,’ the scientist said, pointing to a 2018 press release that advertised the claim. ‘All the clauses in there are patently false. And I told them so, of course.’Attorneys also asked the Exxon scientist if he had any concerns about the company publicly advertising that it could produce 10,000 barrels of algae biofuel a day.The scientist replied: ‘I thought it was something that was irresponsible to say.’‘Because you didn’t think it was possible?’ the attorneys asked.’Right,’ the scientist replied. He added that the target ‘was completely impossible to achieve.’Excerpts from an Exxon scientist’s deposition in Massachusetts’ climate-deception lawsuit. Asked about the company’s algae biofuel claims, he called them ‘patently false,’ adding: ‘And I told them so, of course.’And this new deposition is just the latest piece of evidence that Exxon knew it was promising more than its algae research could deliver. In March, The Wall Street Journal reported that Exxon kept promoting algae to investors after its scientists warned senior leadership in 2020 that the program was falling far short of its goals. The reason this testimony is so important is that it shows how Exxon used advertising as a tool to mislead consumers about the risks of its business model. As we’ve covered before in HEATED, convincing people you’re already solving climate change is a powerful way to undermine public support for regulation. Indeed, the IPCC has identified corporate PR as a major obstacle to climate action.But this testimony also offers a glimpse of what climate lawsuits can uncover if they are allowed to proceed. Indeed, it is exactly the kind of evidence that Exxon and other Big Oil companies are trying desperately to make sure never comes to light. Last week, Exxon and Suncor asked the Supreme Court to block Boulder, Colorado’s climate lawsuit, seeking a ruling that could stop other climate damages cases across the country. Meanwhile, the industry is pushing Congress and state legislatures to grant it legal immunity, while attacking the climate science and judicial education efforts that help inform these cases. It’s an effort to shut down accountability from every direction.I think Big Oil’s multi-tiered campaign to shut down climate lawsuits is one of the most important, most under-covered stories of the year. That’s why last month at Climate Week in New York, I moderated an extensive panel discussion about these efforts with former Washington Governor Jay Inslee, former New Jersey Executive Assistant Attorney General Angela Cai, Tennessee Representative Justin Jones, and Dr. Pallavi Phartiyal of the Union of Concerned Scientists. Together, we examined the different pieces of this campaign, and what can be done to fight back. You can watch the full discussion here.