Note: For the latest on Algae Biodiesel, head over to Gas 2.0 (http://gas2.org).

Looking to buy your own algae biodiesel manufacturing plant?
You may be in luck.

AlgaeLink has developed the first made-to-order industrial algae production facility in the world.

Sure, we’ve all read 50 stories about algae biodiesel the panacea—the only biofuel that will make a serious dent in petroleum usage—but none of those stories have materialized yet. But the fact that commercially harvesting algae could produce yields of 10,000 gallons of oil per acre on agriculturally poor land has not been lost on green entrepreneurs. See my other posts on the topic here. While most of my coverage on algae biofuel research has focused on the United States, AlgaeLink N.V., based in the Netherlands, is the first company to market industrial algae production systems. The 5-year old company began selling units in the third quarter of 2007, after 4 years of investment and research.

How are AlgaeLink systems different?

Industry trend has primarily focused on development of closed bioreactors, most commonly an array of clear tubing that maximizes light and nutrient flow. In this model, algae is grown inside this transparent tubing with a constantly circulating supply of carbon dioxide and food. AlgaeLink’s design doesn’t seem much different than some of the other proposed systems I’ve already discussed: it’s based on 118 feet of 25 inch diameter tube fed by a water pump.

But several improvements make AlgaeLink unique, most notably the claim that they’ve solved the high-yield photoefficieny problem. As algae growth increases, the photobioreactor tubes get clogged with biomass, thereby reducing light that can penetrate into the center and reducing overall yield. AlgaeLink is currently patenting some mysterious technology that allows them to get around this.

Economically speaking, the company has also improved efficiency of transport and assembly of plant materials, along with creating proprietary sensing technology that can monitor algal growth from anywhere in the world. Such a sensing system would ostensibly allow the company to provide tech support from half a world away. The system is also self-cleaning, so no disassembly interrupts production.

AlgaeLink requires a demonstration plant for each potential site in order to optimize algal strain and test local climate conditions. Since AlgaeLink ships the reactors with 10 species of algae, there’s plenty room for experimentation.

How Much Does it Cost?

About $98,000 for the demonstration plant, which is required, and $821,000 to $14 million for different sized models.
You can also take a two-day algae production course in the Netherlands for $2,547.

Does it work?

Apparently, a demonstration plant is already running, producing about 2-4 kg of dry weight biomass per day. AlgaeLink claims yields of 10-100 TONS per day after 4-6 months of site monitoring to optimize algae strain based on local climate and water conditions. 10 tons is a lot more than 2-4 kg, so the scalability of the system must be incredible.

How much biodiesel is that?

I’m not really sure about that, but AlgaeLink has conducted an analysis on the suitability of producing algae biodiesel.

How much does the oil cost?

Cost of production varies by climate, but AlgaeLink claims their demonstration plant in the Netherlands is currently producing oil for 50 cents per gallon.

So why hasn’t anyone else made this technology available?

I’ll let the company’s president and CEO, Hans van de Ven, speak for himself:

We have a unique system and that’s the reason nobody else can offer it. They don’t know how to do it.

Someone needed to be first. We have put at least four years of work into our system. We have put a great deal of money into it and have had engineers and biologists working on it all over the world. We are ready to sell commercial plants. A lot of people over the Internet have been ripped off by people who promised a lot and nothing happened. We have a very good name in the industry and we would like to keep it like that.

See the original article from the Nov. 2007 Biodiesel Magazine here.

Photo Credit: AlgaeLink.com

Digg this story.

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

This post is out of date! See the new version at Gas 2.0: Biodiesel Mythbuster 2.0: Twenty-Two Biodiesel Myths Dispelled (Apr. 2008)

Editor’s note: Our first installment of Green Myth-Busting comes from GO’s resident biofuels expert Clayton Bodie Cornell. As I’ve come to expect from Clayton, he’s covered the subject very thoroughly!

The poster-child for biofuels, biodiesel, is easily the most popular alternative fuel available. Despite the best efforts of biodiesel enthusiasts, the fuel is still engulfed in a morass of misinformation. This Myth-Buster is intended to dispel some of the most common myths associated with using biodiesel - the myths that may keep you from using the fuel.

In case you’re new to the topic, biodiesel is a renewable fuel made from plant oils and occasionally animal fat. It can be made from both used and unused sources of oil, such as freshly-pressed soybean oil, or oil left-over from the deep fryer at your local burger joint. Biodiesel can only be used in diesel engines - no gasoline engines allowed. Biodiesel can be blended into regular diesel in any amount, such as 20% biodiesel/80% diesel (B20), or used pure 100% (B100, aka ‘neat’). As a disclaimer, this post does not address homemade biodiesel (aka homebrew), which usually does not meet the quality standards of ASTM-certified biodiesel.

MYTH: Biodiesel is ethanol (or vice versa).
FACT: Ethanol and Biodiesel are completely different. Ethanol is a fermentation product, primarily made from corn grain and sugarcane. Biodiesel is chemically-converted fat or oil. Ethanol is blended into gasoline. Biodiesel is blended into diesel fuel.

MYTH: Ethanol is better than biodiesel.
FACT: We shouldn’t bicker over this - biodiesel has clear environmental, energetic, and sustainability advantages over corn-grain ethanol. Read on.

MYTH: You must convert your vehicle to run biodiesel.
FACT: Let me describe the conversion process: Drive to the nearest biodiesel pump, put the spout in the side of the car, and pump the biodiesel into your fuel tank (provided it’s diesel). That’s it. You can use biodiesel in any diesel engine without modification. In fact, if you own a diesel vehicle you can fill it up today with 100% biodiesel (B100) and should experience no problems whatsoever. Let me repeat this: you can use ANY amount of biodiesel, from B2 to B100, in a diesel engine with NO modification to the engine. This myth is commonly perpetuated by the hypothetical possibility that biodiesel will clean out diesel sludge that has accumulated in older fuel lines. If you drive an old diesel vehicle, this hypothetically could happen and your fuel filter could subsequently clog. I’ve never actually heard of this happening and can easily be avoided by switching out the fuel filter after a few tanks of biodiesel (take it to your local Jiffy Lube). My 25 year old Datsun pickup truck did just fine when I switched to B100.

MYTH: You have to be a diesel mechanic to use biodiesel.
FACT: No, all you have to do fill up with a different fuel, just like switching between regular and premium.

MYTH: Biodiesel will wreck your engine.
FACT: Nope. This is completely false. There have been reports of biodiesel damaging gasoline engines, and that’s why some mechanics rail against using the fuel - they’ve had to deal with these hapless folks, but we already covered that. Engine manufacturers are especially cautious about new fuels, but some of biggest names in the diesel world (like Cummings) have cleared B20 from doing any harm. Biodiesel and diesel fuel are similar in chemical structure and have similar properties, so they burn similarly in diesel engines. But biodiesel has some specific advantages. Biodiesel adds significant lubricity to the fuel (something that sulfur formally did in diesel fuel, but has since been reduced, hence low-sulfur diesel), reducing engine wear and reportedly extending engine life. Biodiesel has a higher cetane number (higher ignitability) and combusts more completely. Biodiesel is also a good solvent and will clean out diesel fuel residue left in the fuel tank and lines. Over time, because it’s such a good solvent, biodiesel can degrade rubber fuel lines and gaskets. Most post-1990 vehicles don’t have rubber lines and gaskets, but some older vehicles do. I have driven for a year now on B100 and B50 with no visible deterioration of my rubber fuel lines.

MYTH: Biodiesel will cause a noticeable power decrease.
FACT: Biodiesel contains about 8% less energy per gallon than petroleum diesel. For someone using B20, this means a 1-2% loss in power, torque, and fuel efficiency. To put things into perspective, that’s about a 2 mph difference on the freeway at 55. Millions of miles of onroad tests (aka trucking) have shown that B20 and diesel are practically indistinguishable. B100 users may notice a slight drop in fuel mileage, but torque and power are usually comparable. I have noticed a 1-3 mpg drop in fuel efficiency running B100. As an FYI, biodiesel has the highest BTU (energy) content of any alternative fuel (falling somewhere between diesel #1 and #2).

MYTH: Biodiesel use will void your warranty.
FACT: Some manufacturers have approached biodiesel cautiously, but now almost everyone recognizes B20 as a viable fuel, and it should not void warranties. According to the National Biodiesel Board (NBB), “The use of biodiesel in existing diesel engines does not void parts and materials workmanship warranties of any major US engine manufacturer.” Apparently, Federal law prohibits the voiding of a warranty just because biodiesel was used - it must be the cause of the damage. Warranties generally don’t cover problems caused by external sources, i.e. bad fuel, but can’t be voided if the problem was unrelated (see NREL’s Biodiesel Handling and Use Guidelines p. 53). Most manufacturers support B5 or B20, but that doesn’t mean they prohibit higher blends. Double-check with your manufacturer. I know some manufacturers haveexplicitly stated they won’t support higher biodiesel blends.

MYTH: Biodiesel doesn’t work in cold weather.
FACT: Ok, so maybe you read my personal experience with biodiesel in cold weather [post] - let me reiterate that operator error led to the breakdown. It’s true that biodiesel clouds up (starts to freeze) at higher temperatures when compared to regular diesel, and therefore it’s important to use a lower blend of biodiesel in the winter. B100 can be used down to about 40 degrees F, B50 between 20-40 degrees F, and B20 below that. Remember that the cold-flow properties (as they’re called) vary depending on what the biodiesel is made from (feedstocks with more saturated fat, like coconut oil or animal fat tend to freeze earlier). Local producers should be able to give you more information about this, though most biodiesel you will find is going to be good ol’ soy biodiesel. I typically use B100 between March and November, then switch to B50 for the winter, unless I plan on hitting much colder temperatures (I mean anything approaching 0 F).

MYTH: Biodiesel is hard to find.
FACT: Biodiesel is likely to be readily available in your area. The first thing is to check is if there’s a retail pumping station nearby. Try the National Biodiesel Board’s Station locator map, or search by city on the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s website. If you can’t find a station, there may be a biodiesel cooperative in the area that resells wholesale fuel. Biodiesel is the most widely available renewable fuel and can be found in most major metropolitan areas.

MYTH: Biodiesel is too expensive.
FACT: Biodiesel generally costs around $2.80 to $3.30/gallon. Last time I checked, regular gasoline in some parts of California was $3.70/gallon! Biodiesel is nearly price competitive with premium gasoline, and certainly won’t seem that expensive in the middle of summer.

MYTH: Biodiesel requires more energy to produce than is provided by the fuel.
FACT: The vast majority of literature out there shows a positive energy balance, meaning that more energy is produced in the fuel than is used to grow the crop, press the seeds, process the oil into biodiesel, and distribute the product. The most common numbers I’ve seen say about 2-3x more energy is produced, or 1 unit of energy in equals 2-3 units of energy out. [don't leave it to me, see for yourself: (1), (2)]. Compare this to corn-grain ethanol, which optimistically produces 25% more energy than is put into it (1 unit in equals 1.25 units out).

MYTH: Biodiesel’s increases net emissions when the entire production process is taken into account (farming, distribution, etc).
FACT: According to the University of Minnesota in 2006 (1), the production and use of soybean biodiesel decreases life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 41% over regular diesel, and also decreases other pollutants like Carbon monoxide, PM10, and SOx. To compare, the life-cycle of corn-grain ethanol reduces GHG emissions by 12% and actually increases emissions of five major pollutants.

MYTH: Biodiesel causes deforestation of the rain forest.
FACT: You may have read my posts on biodiesel destroying the Brazilian and Malaysian rain forests. What’s true there is not true in the United States. The US already produces a great deal of biodiesel from domestically-grown soybeans. But don’t forget that biodiesel can be made from many other feedstocks, like rapeseed (Canola) and waste-vegetable oil (WVO). In some areas, WVO is the primary source for making biodiesel. Like any other crops, these can be grown sustainably or unsustainably.

MYTH: Biodiesel exhaust smells bad.
FACT: Well, this one is personal preference. I have had people tell me that they think the smell is disgusting (as if they would prefer diesel exhaust). I think B100 exhaust smells great. Sort of like french fries but somehow…cleaner, and not as potentially nauseating. One thing is certain: once you know what it smells like you’ll grin from ear to ear whenever you catch a whiff.

MYTH: Biodiesel exhaust produces more harmful emissions than diesel.
FACT: Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel that has completed all the testing requirements of the Clean Air Act. Biodiesel contains oxygen and burns more completely than diesel fuel, hence reduced emissions. All major pollutants are reduced dramatically in biodiesel exhaust (most of them at least 50% for B100), except one (NOx), and that’s only for blends over B20 (see my post on the subject). B20 reduces air toxics (the most damaging pollutants for human health) by 20-40%, while B100 reduces them by as much as 90%. Sulfur oxides and sulfates (major contributors to acid rain) are almost completely eliminated. The only caveat is that nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions can increase up to 10% with B100. If you would like to evaluate this for yourself, see the National Biodiesel Board’s emissions fact sheet. New diesel technology has the potential to eliminate this problem.

MYTH: Diesel engines are more polluting than gasoline engines, so selling my car and buying a diesel is a bad idea.
FACT: It’s true that traditional diesel engines are 10-100x more polluting than their gasoline counterparts. New model diesel engines, however, are more efficient and have advanced catalytic converters allowing them to approach the emissions ofcomparable gasoline models. When combined with biodiesel newer engines should offer significant emissions reductions. Additionally, older diesels are currently in use and will continue to be used (due to long engine life). Switching these vehicles to biodiesel still provides tangible benefits. While local air pollution is an important consideration, so are greenhouse gas emissions. Biodiesel offers a significant reduction in CO2 emissions.

MYTH: Biodiesel is only used by crazy hippies and Willie Nelson.
FACT: Tell that to the Military, Department of Defense, Postal Service, National Park Service, city governments and school districts across the country, and a whole lot of truckers and farmers who all use and promote biodiesel.
That should be enough information to get you started. The first time you use biodiesel can be a thrilling experience, and I highly recommend it. Clearly, I can’t cover every issue in this post, but don’t stop here. Take a look at the following resources for more information:

Journey To Forever’s Biodiesel resources page (most comprehensive)
National Biodiesel Board (The main industry group)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) - Non-petroleum Based Fuels
National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service - Biodiesel-A Primer

Studies:

(1) Environmental, economic, and energetic costs and benefits of biodiesel and ethanol biofuels
Jason Hill, Erik Nelson, David Tilman, Stephen Polasky, and Douglas Tiffany. PNAS published July 12, 2006, 10.1073/pnas.0604600103

(2) Sheehan et al. May 1998. A Life Cycle Inventory of Biodiesel and Petroleum Diesel for Use in an Urban Bus. NREL/SR-580-24089.

Did I forget something? Let me know and I might be able to expand this list.

Know of a green myth that needs dispelling? Heard something about green living that doesn’t seem quite right? Pass it along, and we may feature it on Green Myth-Busting.

Photo Credit: Clayton B. Cornell (That’s his truck.)

Oregon: Land of good microbrews, biofuels, and… sustainable gas stations?

Back in August of last year, SeQuential Biofuels of Oregon launched the Pacific Northwest’s first retail biofuel station in Eugene. As if that wasn’t admirable enough, the station also serves as a veritable oasis of “renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable design”. Incorporating almost every green building practice I’ve ever heard of (including some that I hadn’t), the project centers on the concept that “commerce and the natural environment can co-exist”. Although this may be troubling to economists everywhere, I assure you, it’s real.

Here are the details:

“Approaching the site, the dominant features are the 244 solar panels that cover the fueling islands and the 4800 plants installed in five inches of soil on the roof of the convenience store. The 33kW solar array will provide 30% to 50% of the electrical power that the station will require annually. The “living roof” will help to control rainwater runoff on the site and will help cool the convenience store during the summer. Other eco-friendly design elements include storm-water detention “bioswales” where plants will filter pollutants from rainwater that rinses the roadways and parking areas and will clean the water before it leaves the site. SeQuential also has made a significant effort to source building materials that are made in the Pacific Northwest region. “

The site was built on a former EPA “Brownfield” site - a location so polluted it was originally abandoned - but you would never believe it today. With it’s moat of living green plants and futuristic-looking solar panels, the station appears more like a NASA space colonization prototype than an old fuel dump. It’s a breath of fresh air in one of I-5’s many roadside industrial sloughs.

Meticulous attention to detail and ecological conscientiousness abounds indoors too. Don’t look too hard for Cheetos, Doritos, or Twinkies - you won’t find them here. The aisles are instead loaded with Kettle chips, freshly-made Cornucopia sand- wiches, and other quality local products. Traditional personal- care items like paper towels have been replaced with brands like Seventh Generation. The fridge is stocked with Northwest beer and wine, and organic dairy products. Even the standard soda machine has been replaced by Blue Sky soda with compostable plastic cups (I was so excited I went straight home and threw my cup in the compost bin). The station also houses an annex of a local coffee and pastry shop with fresh made goods and delicious coffee. It’s the only gas station I’ve ever been to that I didn’t want to leave immediately.

In fact, I make a point of stopping there whenever I can.

In terms of biofuels, the station offers several fueling options including E10 (10% ethanol/ 90% gasoline blend) usable in any gasoline engine, and an E85 blend (85% ethanol and 15% gasoline) for flex-fuel vehicles. There are also three different biodiesel blends: B5 (5% biodiesel, 95% diesel), B20 (20% biodiesel, 80% diesel), and B99 (99% biodiesel, 1% diesel). E10 prices are competitive, and I was fortunate enough to get a 15-cent/gallon discount on biodiesel for attending the opening-day festivities. This made B99 $3.15/ gallon - quite a bargain for a clear conscience.

Hands down, this is one of the coolest projects I’ve ever seen. I managed to snap some photos during the site’s official opening celebration (see my album here). I also met Ian Hill, the station’s project developer and SeQuential Biofuels co-founder, who gave me a short tour of the facility. When I asked where the biodiesel was coming from, he said Sequential was currently processing Eastern-Oregon grown canola (the other side of the Cascades from my previous post on the subject). As far as I’ve been told, most of SeQuential’s biodiesel comes from waste-cooking-oil from companies like Kettle Chips in Salem, Oregon. Yesterday, I emailed Sequential and confirmed this. They also told me that due to a lack of in-state production, SeQuential has already used up this years canola harvest and relies on used-cooking-oil at their SeQuential-Pacific Biodiesel plant. When demand spikes, biodiesel is shipped in from virgin Midwest sources, and all the BioEthanol is brought in by rail. In case you were wondering, fuel prices yesterday were:

• E10 gasoline (10% BIOETHANOL)– $2.39
• E85 BIOETHANOL – $2.89
• B5 diesel (5% BIODIESEL)– $2.75
• B20 BLEND (20% BIODIESEL) – $2.79
• B99 BIODIESEL – $3.29

Visiting the station was an experience that left me feeling charged and optimistic. It really was an experience in the integration of green business, building, and technology. I never thought a gas station would do that to me.

Businesses and individuals are increasingly aware of the impact that their choices have on our economy and on our natural environment,” Hill said. “SeQuential is dedicated to setting an example of responsible, sustainable development and to offering product options that create the most positive impact on people’s lives and communities.”

Take a look for yourself:

• SeQuential Biofuels
• Press Release
• Original News Article
• See more pictures here