Algae Biodiesel May Soon Be Reality
Note: For the latest coverage of algae biodiesel, head over to Gas 2.0 (http://gas2.org).
The biodiesel community has always been marked by spirited enthusiasm, a clear sense of mission, and the dream that biodiesel could one day play a significant role in our energy future. That dream may soon be a reality. Researchers at Utah State University say that farming algae, with reported oil yields of 10,000 gallons per acre, could become an economically feasible biodiesel feedstock by the end of the decade.
This is the Holy Grail of biodiesel: an oil source that could make a serious dent in our fossil fuel consumption. Our most productive feedstock today, the oil palm, doesn’t even come close with yields of 635 gallons/acre, and is followed distantly by the U.S. standard, soy, at 48 gallons of oil/acre.
Producing biodiesel from algae isn’t a new concept, and it’s easy to see why: algae grow voraciously (measured by the day), algae can proliferate in heinous growing conditions (saltwater or extreme temperatures), and certain species contain up to 60% oil (by weight).
Put quite simply, microalgae are remarkable and efficient biological factories capable of taking a waste (zero-energy) form of carbon (CO2) and converting it into a high density liquid form of energy (natural oil). This ability has been the foundation of the research program funded by the Office Fuels Development.”
Between 1978 and 1996, the Department of Energy (DOE) funded research into technologies that could have significant impacts on the consumption of fossil fuels. The focus of this research became the Aquatic Species Program (ASP), which investigated renewable fuel production (biodiesel) from high-oil algae species, fed by the waste CO2 from coal-fired plants. Researchers whittled down over 3,000 strains of microorganisms into the most productive 300, and constructed 1000 sq. meter test ponds outside of Roswell, NM. The ponds were set up as sort of algae ‘race-tracks’, where algae were circulated around shallow, oval-shaped ponds as carbon dioxide bubbled through the mixture. Results were successful and encouraging, but the program fizzled out after almost 2 decades (a lot of which had to do with a budget crunch and allocating more resources to researching ethanol). Researchers noted that one obstacle to large-scale algae production may be the high cost, which was estimated to be double the price of diesel at the time. (I wonder what they would say now.)
Utah State may finally take this research to the next level. Scientists there plan to produce algae in a grid of indoor bioreactors, with light captured by parabolic dishes on the roof and fed inside via fiber-optic cables. Put several thousand of these bioreactors together and you have an algae farm:
The solar bioreactor utilizes single cell algae, nature’s most efficient means to convert sunshine to biomass, which contain up to 60% oil by weight.[4] To minimize land and water resources, an enclosed bioreactor is used to grow algae on proprietary vertical membranes that resemble library newspaper racks. Harvesting of algae is achieved by periodically flushing water down the membrane from holes in the top ‘rack’. Mature algae are dislodged and collected in a bottom trough while immature algae cling to the membrane and continue to grow. Sunlight is collected and distributed to vertical panels that are sandwiched in close proximity between the growth membranes, much like alternating plates in a car battery. Oil extracted from mature algae can be converted to biodiesel using well established technologies.”
The program has been funded by $6 million in seed money from the Utah Science and Technology Research Initiative, and plans on building the first commercial plant in Utah. USU researchers say algae-biodiesel could become economically feasible by 2009.
Needless to say, this is an exciting project that I will be watching closely.
Latest update on Algae Biodiesel: Algae Biodiesel: First Industrial Algae Plants Go Online
Resources:
USU Biofuels Initiative
A Look Back at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Aquatic Species Program: Biodiesel from Algae NREL 1998
Wikipedia: Algaculture
Widescale Biodiesel Production from Algae
This story was originally reported in January, 2007.
Pond Scum Offers Promise for Biodiesel
Photo Credit: KSL News, Bien Stephenson
Tags: agriculture, algae, algae farms, Alternative Fuels, Automobiles, Biodiesel, biofuels, Green Tech, Research, technology, Utah State University
May 30th, 2007 at 5:34 am
Hi Micromentor,
I just wanted to say that all of your points are very well made. I couldn’t have said it better. I work as an environmental consultant (in Utah, actually!) and deal with renewable energy on a fairly regular basis. You hit the current situation really well, describing both the need for a transition and also the non-impact on food production.
Best,
Andy
http://www.sayitgreen.com
Organic, Fair Trade, Custom Printed Apparel
May 31st, 2007 at 2:12 am
Arguments like not being able to put sunlight into a fuel tank are specious. That’s like saying you can’t put leaves into a fuel tank. You CAN make cars that run on electricity, and that electricity can be made cleanly from wind, solar, and (perhaps) waves. Internal combustion engines put carbon into the atmosphere. The fact that biofuels take some of it back out doesn’t mean they produce less than they cost. They don’t.
Electric cars have and can be made. They run well and cleanly. Their energy does come from the sun, albeit often from indirect sources, such as wind and water energy. Why spend the time and energy on transitionary means of producing power? Just go straight for the truly renewable kind. All the time and money spent on things that, ultimately, can’t resolve the problem and slow down the process of moving to carbon-neutral energy sources are a waste of resources that could be used for it.
I agree that there are too many people in the world, but to suggest that “we” should teach “them” how to grow their own food is as elitist a statement as anyone can make. Who has taken the poor’s ability to grow their own food from them? Western nations’ corporations. “We” took the ability to support themselves away, have forced our ways on “them” by gunpoint and economic tactics. To now suggest that “we” should teach “them” is offensive in the extreme. And to suggest that it’s okay to starve “them” so that “we” can have fuel to operate internal combustion engines is utterly callous.
June 1st, 2007 at 5:58 pm
Spiderwoman- you need to reevaluate the feasibility of your ideas. We are fast approaching a crisis point, where our free-energy-addicted world will be on the verge of collapse.
From your comments, it seems clear that you either failed to read or comprehend the article above.
“single cell algae, nature’s most efficient means to convert sunshine to biomass, which contain up to 60% oil by weight”. Converting sunshine to biomass(and then fuel) is what it’s all about.
You’re correct when you say that biodiesel isn’t 100% carbon-neutral (yet), but I’m sure you agree that 80% carbon-neutral is better than 0%! And the more biofuels get adopted, the higher the carbon-neutral percentage gets(you do understand that the reason it’s not 100% neutral is because petroleum is being used in the production process, where biofuels could also be used, right?).
It’s got to start somewhere. We’re not going to make a instant change from 100% petroleum dependent to 100% renewable overnight… and the idea that anyone is going to be driving around in an electric car charged by solar/wind/wave power is the real specious argument. There’s no way in hell we’d ever waste such precious/expensive electricity on something like a car, or heat, or television.
“Why spend the time and energy on transitionary means of producing power?” - Because if we don’t take advantage of every possible option(and maybe even if we do), we are *all* going to *starve*. We don’t have the luxury of being choosy.
And speaking of starving people… anyone who claims that biofuels take food out of the mouths of starving people is woefully ignorant and/or a shill for the oil/agribusiness companies. *currently* we use food oil crops, because that’s what’s cheapest and most abundant (due to government subsidy). In the future, our oil crops (algae) will be grown on land/water and using resources that are NOT suitable for food production, and currently lie fallow.
June 2nd, 2007 at 8:18 am
Watching the nascent algae bio-diesel industry go through its gestation stages has been about as frustrating as watching the hourhand on a clock or grass grow. So many grand claims exist that you would think that people would be driving around on their own biodiesel routinely, and selling the surplus. Like fuel cells, this idea has been around for decades (a couple of centuries in the case of fuel cells). Many of the claims seem to have been pointing to demonstration plants completed by the end of this year, in order to prove feasibility to investors. I certainly hope so.
But when a company trumpets as a triumph a car in New Zealand that drives around on only 5% algae-generated biodiesel, I can only smirk. Or when another in Spain claims big results by the end of 2007 (14-18 months from August 2006), and then just drops off the headlines, the skepticism grows.
How many times can businessmen tell fish stories before investors wise up? Check your facts. Buyer beware. Don’t let this fish get away - catch your own fish!
June 2nd, 2007 at 11:02 am
We are biodiesel manufacturer in Viet Nam. We mentioned too much about this information. Who is person we should contact to have seed of this algae. How can we know more about it? How can we expanding this algae in Viet Nam?
All reply should be highly approciate.
Viet Thu
vietthu_ng@yahoo.com
vietthu@biencovn.com
http://www.biencovn.com
June 2nd, 2007 at 2:32 pm
In my opinion this is an excellent idea, after all large algae tanks could be setup anywhere and do not require any really special conditions, other than the sun. Can you say California, Arizona and New Mexico. Between these three states there is enough sun, and land to build thousands of algal pools.
June 7th, 2007 at 5:03 am
I’m currently putting together a cost benefit analysis of the differences between soybean and algae biodiesel production. One of the largest benefits of this is that they are looking to set up production of the bioreactors around coal powerplants, on a sunny day using proper tubing the algae bioreactors can absorb as much as 80% of the carbon dioxide released from the powerplant. Algae production not only reduces current carbon dioxide but also can turn it into energy. This takes off extended pressures on our food crops not to mention that the algae itself can be used as crop feed, dried out to be burnt as an alternative to coal as well as be processed into other types of fuel such as ethanol. Between biodiesel and the new ultra low sulfer diesel mixtures, it could help alleviate all the pressure being put on the natural resources, maybe even long enough to get us to a new source of fuel entirely. The biodiesel industry itself is gearing up for increased demand, by the end of this year they will have added 1.7 billion gallons of production capabilities to the the approximatly 900 million that was around at the beginning of this year.
June 8th, 2007 at 11:17 pm
To make a succesful algae strain for commercial production you must make an algae that grows extreemly quickly and can overcome alien algae strains to maintain its purity. Unfourtantly, what you then create is a highly aggressive algae strain that cannot enter a natural enviroment otherwise it results in algae blooms which kill all marine life in reefs which is where 70-80% of marine life calls home. (For information on recent algae blooms see the following websites: http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-06-08-voa15.cfm
http://www.sherbrookerecord.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=921). Further if the bloom occurs in fresh water it causes the water to become poisoness and no amount of boiling can release the toxins. Experiments conducted with algae by novices are the most likely reason for the recent destruction of waterways in Hawaii, Canada, China, and throughout the continental United States. I encourage all those expirementing with algae to halt all their projects for the good of all.
July 24th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
The highest use for algae at a coal burning power plant is to pelletize the alage for fuel and burn it along with the coal. This reduces the amount of coal burned and reduces the amount of new CO2 being pulled out of the ground in the form of coal. Also, you would not be burning fossil fuels to extract and ship the portion of coal that is displaced by algae pellets. Across the country and around the world, the more coal you displace with algae pellets, the less NEW CO2 you pour into the atmosphere. Produce algae pellets at or near coal burning plants, and you fulfill the goal of localized energy production.
August 2nd, 2007 at 12:37 am
The big money in algae biodiesel will be the high protein animal feed generated. If one acre can produce 10,000 gallons of biodiesel, that same acre could also produce hundreds of tons of protein.