Cambio de escala en combustibles procedentes de microalgas: aspectos económicos y medioambientales

Scaling up algae fuels:
economic and environmental issues

Enrique Espí
Repsol Technology Center

Madrid, April 08, 2010
© D.Technology Repsol, April 2010

Summary

Introduction
Pros & cons of algae for bioenergy
Repsol’s R&D activities on microalgae
Strains selection
FBR optimization
Next developments
Economic issues
Environmental issues


Introduction:
pros & cons of algae for bioenergy

© Repsol D. Technology, June 2009

Pros

 High yield ¿up to 1000 t/ha·year?
 Capture CO2
 Don’t consume water
 Don’t contaminate soils or aquifers
 Continuous harvesting
 Positive energy balance
 Don’t need pesticides
 High-value products


Cons

Large-scale productivity do not
surpass 100 t/ha·year
Cost between 2 and 20 €/kg biomass
Lipids not always suitable for
biodiesel
Energy balance: 1-2 energy return
on energy invested
GHG balance negative if synthetic
fertilizers and pure CO2 are used


R&D lines on microalgae

Basic biochemistry: deep understanding of algae metabolism for
lipids or other added-value molecules synthesis.
Species selection: isolation and characterization of species and
varieties with high biomass, lipids or other molecules productitvity.
Methabolic engineering: genetic (or other route) modification of
natural species for increasing their biomass, lipids or other
molecules productivity.
Growing systems: development, optimization and scale-up of open
(raceways) or closed (FBRs) systems including design, materials,
management, nutrients, CO2 enrichment, etc.
Downstream processing: physical (harvesting, drying, extraction,
etc.) and chemical processing of algae biomass.

… for
Biomass (heat, electricity and CO2 capture)
Lipids (biofuels…)
High-value products (omega-3, proteins, lutein…)



Projects
PIIBE
Proyecto de investigación para el Impulso del Biodiesel en España
www.piibe.com
(2006-2009)

Sost-CO2
Nuevas utilizaciones sostenibles del CO 2

www.cenit-sostco2.com
(2008-2011)

Plan E Microalgae
New project
(2010-2011)

Associations &Technology Platforms


Cenit PIIBE objectives and results

PIIBE
Proyecto de investigación para el Impulso del Biodiesel en España

Method for selecting microalgae strains
Result: flow cytometry method developped
and optimised for lipogenic microalgae
selection
Selection and isolation of a high lipids-producing
strain
Result: one strain registered (T. repsoliensis)
Optimization of a vertical tubular photobioreactor
(design, management, CDF…)
Result: patent application issued
Development of an anti-biofouling cheap plastic
material for FBRs
Results: preliminar positive results


Cenit PIIBE results: strains selection

Hundreds of wild algae strains
collected, selected and isolated
using flow cytometry.



Lipid production of wild strains.

Lipid yield (t/ha·year)
Soya 0,4
Sunflower 0,8
Rape 1
Olive 1
Jatropha 1,5
Avocado 2,2
Coconut 2,2
Palm 5

Very interesting results at lab-scale, but scale-up is still needed


Lipid content optimization
using flow cytometry & sorting.


Cenit PIIBE results: FBR optimization

Optimizing FBRs design using
Computational Fluid Dynamics
(CFD): shape, stirring, light
distribution, etc.

PCT/ES2010/070132 patent

6 rpm 12 rpm 18 rpm



FBR farm optimization



Materials for FBRs.

Optical properties: Repsol is applying
its experience with plastics for
greenhouse covers to FBR materials:
Ultraviolet transmission (UV).
Near infrared transmission (NIR).
Middle infrared transmission (MIR).
Luminescence (UV-VIS, VIS-VIS).



Materials for FBRs.

Surface properties: Repsol is using
its experience managing chemical
and physical surface properties of
plastics to develop antifouling
FBRs.

70% 5%

Heat, electricity and CO2

Some figures:

180 t 100 t 20 t
CO2 biomass lipids

Algae growing for CO2 capture and direct energy production (heat
and electricity) has all the advantages and less technical
uncertenties (fuel quality, compatibility with fossil fuels, etc.) than
their use for biofuels


Cenit Sost-CO2 objectives

Sost-CO2
Nuevas utilizaciones sostenibles del CO 2

Selection of a high biomass-producing
microalgae strain
www.cenit-sostco2.com
www.repsol.com

Selection and optimization of different
growing systems, including open ponds,
vertical and flat pipes, flexible bags…

Scale-up these systems.


Plan E Microalgae objectives

Plan E Microalgae

Effect of different refinery flue gases and
wastewaters on algae growing

Downstream processing (harvesting, de-
watering, extraction…) of algae biomass


Future developments


Economic issues

Source: Proviron

Present price of algae fuels: 2 to 20 €/l

Present price of other biofuels: 0.5 to 1 €/l


Economic issues

Pathway for cuting down costs:
To increase productivity:
• high productivity algae strains (GM?)
• high productivity photobioreactors
 To cut down investments:
• low-cost photobioreactors (all-plastic)
• harvesting methods alternative to centrifugation
• extraction methods alternative to solvent extraction
 To cut down operating costs:
• personnel costs (automation)
• energy costs (farming, harvesting, extraction)
• water, nutrients and CO2 costs


Environmental issues

Energy and GHG balances highly
dependent on the nutrients and CO2
supplies.
Focus on:
Wastewaters vs. Chemical nutrients
Flue gas vs. Pure CO2

Source: Environ. Sci. Technol. 2010, 44, 1813-1819

Thank you for your attention


Cambio de escala en combustibles procedentes de microalgas: aspectos económicos y medioambientales

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