Equity Lab: Inked with Intent by The Greenlining Institute
Challenges to Algae Use as a Biofuel
1. Algae
Jaal Mann, Michael Karch, and Arij Beebe-Sweet
http://www.celsias.com/media/uploads/admin/algae_shot_1.
2. Fossil fuels are not
sustainable
•Dwindling petroleum
reserves
•CO2-caused global climate
change
Sustainable alternatives
are needed
http://www.flickr.com/photos/truthout/4279546112/
3. Biofuels as a sustainable
alternative to fossil fuel
•Carbon neutral
•Renewable
•Cheaper than fossil fuel
fairfieldlutheran.org
5. Algae is a promising new
biofuel
•Higher yields than traditional biofuel crops
•Saltwater and wastewater tolerant
http://greengineers.wikispaces.com/file/view/algae_smiley.jpg/115440023/algae_smiley.jpg
7. LED Electricity
Cost Per Gallon
Our research gave us the information
to answer our initial question. What is
the cost of using 10-Watt LEDs?
8. Probable algae growth yields:
10gal * 1/3000 * 0.5 = 0.0017gal/batch
Number of batches to achieve one gallon
of lipids?
1gal/0.0017/gal/batch = 600 batches
9. How much electricity per batch?
10W * 12h/d * 20d = 2.4kWh/batch
Cost per batch?
2.4kWh * $0.10kW = $0.24/batch
How much electricity for one gallon of
lipids?
$0.24/batch * 600batches/gal=
11. Project Evolution
http://zaozzie.blogspot.com/2012/02/evolution-of-modern-man.html
Plan B
•Talk to researchers on the cutting edge of
algae yields for biofuels
12. Algae to Biofuel
Process and Challenges
•Strain Selection
•Growing Phase
•Dewatering
•Extraction http://saving-the-energy.blogspot.com/2009/11/biodiesel-production-from-algae-oil.html
•Transesterification
13. Strain Selection
•Estimated 1-10 million different species
•Hybridization weakens algae
•Some ideal characterizations are: high
lipid content, tolerates salt and waste water
and oils excreted outside the cells
http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/smart-takes/biosphere-imbalance-should-we-worry-about-engineering-algae-for-biofuels/9331
14. Growing Phase
•4 Litres of water per kilogram of dry algae
•Difficult to Monoculture
•Open ponds and Raceways have several
vulnerabilities
http://www.pnnl.gov/news/release.aspx?id=859
15. Dewatering
•1 part algae 3,000 parts water
•Best available dewatering technique is
centrifugation
•High capitaland energy cost associated
with most methods
•Main bottleneck in algal culture
http://www.andthenbam.com/?p=556
16. Extraction Methods
•Mechanical crushing or pressing
•Ultrasonic extraction
•Supercritical CO2
•Counter-current circulation
•Microwaves??
http://genedrekeke.blogspot.com/2009/04/algae-optimistic-nanotech-algal-oil.html
17. Transesterification
•The process of making biodiesel
•14-22 Carbon chains long, freezing point
is high
http://share.psu.ac.th/file/waraporn.ra/view/4640
18. Transportation Needs
Western Washington:
•50 million barrels of motor gasoline per
year (EIA)
•About 450,000 metric tonnes of CO2 per
year (EPA)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ezioman/3034706336/
19. Wastewater Management
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1496154
•Wastewater is rich in Nitrogen and Phosphorous
•Nitrogen and Phosphorous can cause algae
blooms and resulting dead zones
20. Wastewater Management
•Algae thrive on a diet of Nitrogen and
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/24707
Phosphorous (McShan 1974)
•Growing algae in wastewater treatment plants
is very promising
21. Wastewater Management
http://www.flickr.com/photos/saulspics/2981758939/
•Brine shrimp eat algae to maintain productivity
(McShan 1974)
•Brine shrimp can be harvested to offset system
cost (McShan 1974)
22. Algae Turf Scrubbing
•Nutrient clean-up and biofuel at the
same time (Beardsley 2011)
•Algal turf scrubbers remove
nutrients, produce fertilizers, return
oxygen to water, and can produce
biofuel or pharmaceuticals
(Beardsley 2011)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48722974@N07/5120227735/
23. Food and Pharmaceutical
http://botany.si.edu/projects/algae/economicuses.htm
Algae protein costs 30 times more that meat1
Algae carbohydrates are not digestible by humans2
1. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/923.html
2. Fujiwara-Arasaki, Teruko, Sorui; 12/10/84, Vol. 32 Issue 4, p293-299, 7p
24. How Algae Proteins Compare
As a percentage of dry weight mass, protein potential comparison of one algae species to other foods.
Product Proteins Carbohydr Lipids
ates
Meat 43 1 34
Rice 8 77 2
Spirulina 60-71 13-16 6-7
maxima
http://www.affordable-natural-
supplements.com/36905.html
http://www.algae.wur.nl/UK/applications/food_feed/
25. Pharmaceutical Uses
In treating oral disease 1
Has high percentage of
vitamin C
Natural carotenoids 2
Chlorophyll a used for
deodorant
http://www.ehow.co.uk/info_8505353_pharmaceutical-microbiology-training.html
1. Sirbu, Rodica,Proceedings of World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
volume 32 August 2008.
2. Daciana, Sava, Pharmaceutical Importance of some multicellular red algae species
from the Romanian Black Sea shore. Annals of RSCB Vol XIV, Issue 2.
26. Looking to the future
•Not ready for large-scale
biofuel use
•More research in yields
and lipid contents
•Cost of production must
decrease
http://www.flickr.com/photos/robseattle/34083190/
27. Bibliography
Algal Turf Scrubbing: Boon or Blip?
Timothy M. Beardsley
BioScience , Vol. 61, No. 6 (June 2011), p. 423
Published by: University of California Press on behalf of the American Institute of Biological
Sciences
Article DOI: 10.1525/bio.2011.61.6.1
Article Stable URL: http://0-www.jstor.org.cals.evergreen.edu/stable/10.1525/bio.2011.61.6.1
Biological Treatment of Wastewater Using Algae and Artemia
Michael McShan, Norman M. Trieff and Dov Grajcer
Journal (Water Pollution Control Federation) , Vol. 46, No. 7 (Jul., 1974), pp. 1742-1750
Published by: Water Environment Federation
Article Stable URL: http://0-www.jstor.org.cals.evergreen.edu/stable/25038824
Transporation Fuel Consumption:
http://www.eia.gov/state/state-energy-profiles-data.cfm?sid=WA#Consumption
CO2 per gallon:
http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/refs.html
Life-Cycle Assessment of Biodiesel Production from Microalgae
Laurent Lardon, Arnaud Hélias, Bruno Sialve, Jean-Philippe Steyer, and Olivier
Bernard
Environmental Science & Technology 2009 43 (17), 6475-6481
Dewatering of microalgal cultures: A major bottleneck to algae-based fuels
Nyomi Uduman, Ying Qi, Michael K. Danquaha, Gareth M. Forde, and Andrew Hoadley
Department of Chemical Engineering, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria 3800,
Australia (Received 22 July 2009; accepted 22 December 2009; published online 12 January 2010)