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Innovative Biofuel Technologies: Microalgae Analysis

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Innovative Biofuel Technologies: Microalgae Analysis Lauro Andr Ribeiro Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Coimbra lauroribeiro_at_terra.com.br – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Innovative Biofuel Technologies: Microalgae Analysis


1
Innovative Biofuel Technologies Microalgae
Analysis
Institutions, Efficiency and Evolving Energy
Technologies
  • Lauro André Ribeiro
  • Faculty of Science and Technology, University of
    Coimbralauroribeiro_at_terra.com.br
  • Patrícia Pereira da Silva Faculty of Economics,
    University of Coimbra and INESCCpatsilva_at_fe.uc.pt
  • Stockholm, June 19 - 23, 2011

2
Summary
  • Introduction
  • Pros and Cons
  • Comparisons
  • Opportunities
  • Threats

3
Introduction
  • Dependent on crude oil
  • Mostly for transportation

4
Introduction
  • Import from unstable regions

5
Introduction
  • Combustion of fossil fuels GHG

6
Introduction
  • Effects on human health and habitat

7
Introduction
  • Where could this
  • fuel come from?

8
What is an algae?
  • Simple plant
  • Most live in water
  • Photosynthetic Organisms
  • Capture light
  • Convert inorganic to organic
  • matter
  • Use lipids and oils to float on water
  • Range from small, single-celled to complex and
    multicellular.

Figure 1 Alage Cell
9
Why Algae?
  • Produce large amounts of oil
  • When compared to terrestrial crops for the same
    purpose
  • Contain between 2 - 60 of lipids/oils by weight
    (TAG)
  • High growth rate
  • Can be produced in non-fertile terrains and under
    several climatic conditions
  • Uses a wide variety of water sources
  • No food-for-fuel problems
  • Can use waste CO2 and heat as inputs
  • Production of biofuels and other valuable
    coproducts

10
Algal biomass possibilities
Figure 2 Algal biomass product streams. (Pienkos
and Darzins, 2009)
11
Issues
  • Immature technology
  • Large-scale/commercial production just starting
    lack of data
  • Uncertainties
  • More than 150 new companies have been formed
    (mostly in the past 3 years)

12
Solix plant, EUA Inauguration July/2009 In 2010
over 11.000 liters of oil per hectare
13
Fuel Crops Comparison
Crop Oil Yield (L/ha) Land area needed (M ha) a
Corn 172 1540
Soybean 446 594
Canola 1190 223
Jatropha 1892 140
Coconut 2689 99
Palm Oil 5950 45
Microalgae b 136.900 2
Microalgae c 58.700 4.5
Microalgae Solix 11.000 25
  • a. For meeting 50 of all transport fuel needs
    of the United States.b. 70 oil (by weight) in
    biomass.c. 30 oil (by weight) in
    biomass. Data adapted from Chisti, 1997.

14
Opportunities
  • Production of other products
  • Biorefinery model?
  • New policies and subsidies

15
Threats
  • Future demand for biofuels
  • Acceptance still unclear
  • If genetically modified, could generate
    limitations
  • Diffusion difficulties

16
The relevant question is not whether biofuels
from algae are possible, but rather whether they
can be made economically and at a scale
sufficient to help contribute to fuel
demand. (Pienkos and Darzins, 2009)
17
Thank you!
  • E-mail lauroribeiro_at_terra.com.br

18
Attachments
19
www.seattlepi.com/dayart/20080503/biofuels_compare
.gif
20
Cultivation Open System
  • Low capital
  • Low efficiency
  • Low selectivity (native species will dominate)
  • Less environmental control

Solix plant
21
Cultivation Closed System
  • Higher capital
  • Smaller footprint
  • Controlled environment
  • Extended growing season

Valcent Products, Inc.
22
Some comparisons
Soybean Algae
Productivity Low Medium High
10g/m2/day 25g/m2/day 50g/m2/day
15 TAG 25 TAG 50 TAG
Liter/ha/year 73 962 4032 16667
Total ha 157 millions 157 millions 62 millions 15 millions
Liters/year 11,4 billions 151 billions 250 billions 250 Billions
Petrodiesel 4,5 61 100 100
Table 1 Production comparisons for soybeans and
algae (Pienkos and Darzins, 2009)
23
Can we make it economical?
  • Processing improvements
  • Large-scale cultivation techniques
  • Harvesting equipment/techniques
  • Extraction techniques
  • Fixed (heterogeneous) catalysts
  • Other products development
  • CO2 capture
  • Animal feed (human feed?)
  • Additional alternative fuels (e.g., ethanol,
    methane, hydrogen)
  • Wastewater treatment

24
Oil Yield

25
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