3. What is it?
Marine biotechnology uses biological material
from the sea to produce goods and services.
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4. Areas Of Interest
Extraction of biologically-active compounds or
pharmaceuticals
Cloning of proteins of marine origin
Analysis of marine toxins and anti-venoms
Development of industrial adhesives
Development of diagnostic probes for marine
pathogens.
Bio-remediation, which uses marine and other
organisms to digest contaminants and toxins in
the environment.
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5. Constraints
Like all other technologies the opportunities
involve long lead times and high risks.
Other critical issues that can affect bio-
prospecting for genetic material include access
and ownership of intellectual property rights.
Ability to sustainably produce high-oil-yielding
algae strains on a large-scale.
Ability to extract the oil from the algae on a
large scale.
Capability for large-scale conversion of algal oil
into biodiesel.
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6. Algal Strains
Some prominent strains of algae that have a
high carbohydrate content and hence are
promising candidates for ethanol production.
Sargassum
Glacilaria
Prymnesium parvum
Euglena gracilis
6 11/17/2011
7. Ethanol from Algae
Algae have a tendency to have a much different
makeup than does most feed stocks used in
ethanol, such as corn and sugar cane.
Ethanol from algae is possible by converting the
starch (the storage component) and Cellulose (the
cell wall component). lipids in algae oil can be
made into biodiesel, while the carbohydrates can
be converted to ethanol.
Algae are the optimal source for second generation
bioethanol due to the fact that they are high in
carbohydrates/polysaccharides and thin cellulose
walls
7 11/17/2011
8. Process behind Ethanol from Algae
Fermentation process to produce ethanol include the following
stages:
Growing starch-
accumulating, filament- Separating the
Harvesting the grown
forming, or colony- resulting ethanol from
algae to form a
forming algae in an the fermentation
aqua culture biomass;
solution.
environment;
Contacting the
decaying biomass
with a yeast capable Initiating decay of the
of fermenting it to biomass;
form a fermentation
solution;
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9. Decaying…
Cellular structure of the biomass begins to decay
(e.g., cell wall rupture) and release the
carbohydrates.
Initiating decay can be accomplished
mechanically, non-mechanically.
The yeasts used are typically brewers‟ yeasts
(Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces
uvarum).
Genetically altered bacteria could be useful for
fermentation can also be used.
9 11/17/2011
10. Ethanol from De-oiled Algae Biomass
Algal Biomass Left-over Conversion into
• Carbohydrates mass(once the Ethanol
• Proteins lipids extracted) • Carbohydrates in
• Lipids • Carbohydrates the left-over algae
• Proteins can be converted
into sugars.
• Sugars can be
processed into
Ethanol
10 11/17/2011
11. Production Of Ethanol and Biodiesel from
Algae
FromOligae, 2006, Retrievedfrom http://www.oilgae.com/algae/pro/eth/eth.html
11 11/17/2011
12. Biodiesel from Algae
Dewatering Aquafeed
Furthertreatm Animal feed
enttorecover
and Extrusion
Petfeed
diesel
Residual
microalgae
Incorporatedi
Selectionofmi Extraction of
nto human
croalgaespec Wasteliquor protein
food
ies
Growth of Extraction of Oil for
Harvesting of
microalgae oilfrommicroa processingint Biodiesel
microalgae
lgae oBiofuel
12 11/17/2011
13. Advantages to make ethanol from algae
instead of diesel
The lipid (oil) content in algae from different sources
max. 70% is less than starch+ cellulose+ sugars nearly
100% content.
Algae should be dried (a lot of energy) to extract oil
but needs no treatment for ethanol fermentation.
Extracting the oil from algae is complicated.
CO2 from ethanol fermenting can be used as algae
feedstock.
The energy from fermenting and distilling can be
used to heat algae ponds (photo bioreactors) in
cold climate.
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14. Advantages of Using Algae
Algae have many important advantages over other
oil-producing crops, like corn, canola and soybeans.
It can be grown in almost any enclosed space and
it multiplies rapidly and requires very few inputs to
flourish - mainly just sunlight, water and carbon
dioxide.
Because algae has a high surface-area-to-volume
ratio, it can absorb nutrients very quickly, and its
small size is what makes it mighty.
The Energy Returned is much higher than Energy
Invested or required to produce algae ethanol.
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15. Advantages of Using Algae
Algae Consume CO2, a Major Greenhouse Gas.
Do Not Require Arable Land.
Grow Very Rapidly.
Represent a “New” Source of Fuel.
Represent a New Source of Animal Food.
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16. Simpler…
Algae ethanol does not require a very
complicated equipment or machinery to set it
up
As Scientists and researchers of Canadian
National Renewable Energy Association have
observed that: "algae ethanol plant does not
eat up the country's bread basket" and gives to
mankind many valuable bi-products that are
used in several ways.
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17. •Large scale cultures to fulfil
demands
Scale •Ponds vs.
photobioreactors*
•Large area requirements
•Good climatic conditions
Challenges Land •Close to resources (water,
CO2)
•Flat land
•Large amount of water for
culture
•Saline water and
Water evaporation replacement
•Complete discharge of
ponds due to increased
salinity
17 11/17/2011
18. •Phosphate. Non-renewable and
competition with food crops
•Nitrogen.
•6-8% of dry microalgae.
•Can affect lipid composition and
Nutrients culture
•2 kg of CO2 kg-1 of N
•Waste water?. Inconsistent
composition
•CO2. Transportation costs
•20-30% of the total cost
Challenges Harvesting •Different sizes and shapes (2 to 200
m for individual cells
•Keeping the biomass newtonian
•Homogenization & bead milling
Cell •Cooling systems due to energy
disruption dissipation
•Reducing cell wall strength
18 11/17/2011
19. Open orclosed?
Ponds PBR
Expensive
construction
Low cost
and operative
costs
Monitoring
systems eg. Gas
Simplicity
exchanging
system
High
Easier water
evaporation
recycling
rates
From “
Placingmicroalgaeonthebiofuelspri
oritylist: a
reviewofthetechnologicalchalleng
Culture
es”, by Greenwellet al, 2009, J. R. Controlled Bios (2008).
Soc. Interface, 7, p 708 contamination, PhotoBioReactorSculpture.
conditions
temperature. RetrievedOct 7 2011 from
http://biosarch.wordpress.com/200
8/07/08/photobioreactor-
sculpture/
19 11/17/2011
20. Algae vs. crops
From “Biotech‟sgreen gold?”, by Waltz E. 2009, NatureBiotechnology, 27, p. 16
RetrievedOct 7 2011
fromhttp://www.odec.ca/projects/2008/adit8i2/benefit.html
20 11/17/2011
21. Economicalevaluation
Base case (current technology) Projected case
(achievablebutnotdemonstrated)
Productionofbiomassusing500 ha
systems =
Oil extraction =
Co- Notconsidered(Smallmarkets)
productionofhighvalueproduct(HV
P)
Internalrateofreturn(IRR). Valuesabove15% are consideredprofitable
21 11/17/2011
22. Economicalevaluation
22 11/17/2011
From “Aneconomicandtechnicalevaluationofmicroalgalbiofuels”, by Stephens E. et al 2010, NatureBiotechnology, 28, p. 127
23. Economicalevaluation
23 11/17/2011
From “Aneconomicandtechnicalevaluationofmicroalgalbiofuels”, by Stephens E. et al 2010, NatureBiotechnology, 28, p. 127
24. Isit profitable?
Yes, with increasedproductivity/largeproduction
Estimate: Currenttechnology could produce
$84/bblbut in thefuture a price of $50/bbl could
be achieved
Sinergy with other industries for a
sustainablesystem
24 11/17/2011
25. What’s happening?
Companies Organizations Universities
• Aurora biofuels • Algal biomass • Algael biofuel
• Algenol organization challenge (UK
• Sapphire • National academic
energy Algae institutions)
• Solarvest Association • Murdoch +
BioEnergy • European University of
• Solazyme Algae Biomass Adelaide
• Chevron [(National Association • USA…
Renewable Energy
Laboratory (NREL)] • International
Fossil Algae
Association
25 11/17/2011
26. References
Borowitzka MA and Reza Navid, 2010, „Sustainablebiofuelsfromalgae‟,
MitigAdaptStrategGlobChange, Springer.
Greenwell HC, Laurens LML, Shields RJ, Lovitt RW and Flynn KJ, 2010,
„Placingmicroalgaeonthebiofuelsprioritylist: a reviewofthetechnologicalchallenges‟, J.R.
Soc.Interface, 7, 703-726
Gold rushforalgae, (2009, September 24), NatureNews, 461, 460-61
Oligae. http://www.oilgae.com/
Sheehan J, Dunahay T, Benemann J andRoessler P (1998), „A Look Back at the U.S.
DepartmentofEnergy‟sAquaticSpeciesProgram— Biodiesel fromAlgae‟, (Close out report
1978-1996), Colorado USA, NationalRenewableEnergyLaboratory, U.S.
DepartmentofEnergy‟s Office ofFuelsDevelopment
Stephens E, Ross IL, King Z, Mussgnung JH, Kruse O, Posten C, Borowitzka MA andHankamer
B, 2010, „Aneconomicandtechnicalevaluationofmicroalgalbiofuels‟, Nat Biotechnol, 28
(2), 126-128
Waltz E, 2009, „Biotechs‟sgreen gold?, Nat Biotechnol, 27(1), 15-18
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