1	Farming Algal Fuel An Aquaculture Production Perspective
2	“Growing Fuel” National Geographic October 2007
3	Why? Fuel > $4.00/gal
4	Exponential Increases Population: from 3 to 6.8 billion (1960-2010) Fossil fuel consumption
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6	U.S. Energy Shortage Declining world oil reserves US dependence on Foreign Oil Limited US oil reserves Concerns about global CO₂
7	Oil Reserves & Global Consumption Proved World Reserves = 1.1-1.3 trillion barrels (DOE, 2007 & 2009) Global Oil Consumption = 85 million barrels/day (DOE, 2006) Proved US Oil Reserves = 21 billion barrels (DOE, 2007) US Oil Consumption = 7.55 billion barrels/year (DOE, 2006 & 2007)
8	Duration of Oil Reserves Proved World Reserves = 1.2 trillion barrels Global Oil Consumption = 85 million barrels/day Proved World Supply = ~ 36 years (beginning in 2009)
9	Algal Fuel Not Currently a “Commercial” Reality
10	Current Production Nutrition/nutraceuticals Estimated 10,000 tons/year (photosynthetically) Spirulina, Chlorella, Dunaliela, Haematococcus Half in China Remainder in Japan, Taiwan, USA, Australia & India
11	Spirulina (A. platensis)
12	Dunaliela salina
13	Chlorella vulgaris
14	Haematococcus pluvialis
15	Other Production As live aquaculture feeds (shrimp, bivalves, rotifers, etc.) Dark fermentation: starch & sugar vs. light (Martek omega-3 lipids, KY)
16	Production Systems Photobioreactors – small scale & more prevalent (academic & government labs) Ponds – large scale (98%)
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18	Spherical Photobioreactors
19	Tubular Photobioreactors
20	Aquatic Species Program NREL, Artist’s Rendition (1987)
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22	Raceway & Circular Ponds
23	Dunaliella Ponds Australia
24	Fuels from Algae Hydrogen -- no plausible commercial method demonstrated Methane -- wastewater treatment Oil/biodiesel -- triglycerides/lipids Ethanol -- starch/sugar
25	Algal Strain Selection * High lipid/oil content * Maximum biomass/productivity * Ease of harvest monoculture - resist contamination Tolerate environment (local conditions, water quality, high O₂& temp, etc.)
26	Basic Resources Needed Available water Suitable pond topography (flat) Clay soil Source of CO₂ enrichment
27	Production Starter cultures (1-2% biomass) in photobioreactors Starter to seed intermediate pond/raceway, or Large ponds (one to many hectares)
28	Harvest 20-40% of volume daily Concentrate approx. 30-fold Must be low cost Remove from water column (“bio-flocculation” – clumping) with minimal chemicals
29	Oil Removal Cell disruption to extract Solvents Mechanical Separation Further processing
30	Problems Single cell starter – genetic drift Maintaining oil content Invasive algal species (esp. ponds) Grazers -- fungii, protozoa, rotifers, zooplankton
31	Advantages Algal generation times (hr-d) Terrestrial plants (mo-yr) More amenable to selection/GMOs Use soybeans and corn for food
32	CO₂ Removal/Abatement Combine with power plants Flue CO₂ removal 5000-6000 acres of ponds for 500-megawatt power plant Energy in vs. CO₂removed (& energy out)
33	Economics Need low capital & operating costs Spirulina costs: $5K/ton Equivalent for 25% oil: $20K/ton 20-30 x higher than vegetable oil
34	Systems Costs Large scale systems costly (resources and infrastructure) Availability of resources – e.g. free source of CO₂ Overall open pond costs > $40K/ac Univ. of KY researchers estimate $18-$30/gal oil -- before processing Photobioreactors too costly: like RAS (recirculating systems)
35	Estimated Production 25% useable triglycerides Overall open pond costs > $40K/ac Annual yield = 1.5 K gal/ac Fuel @ $4.00/gal won’t cover costs (capital, operating, et. al.)
36	Terrestrial Biofuels Ethanol – sugars/starch Bio-diesel – oils/triglycerides Higher plants more cost effective @ $100/barrel for crude oil
37	R&D Challenges Greater biomass Higher oil content Fast growth Better methods for concentrating and harvesting Cost effective systems
38	Environmental Limits Water Light CO₂ pH swings/nutrients Temperature
39	Wastewater Pond (oxidation)
40	Combined Objectives Wastewater treatment/mgt Bio-fuel production By-product harvest (e.g. feed additives)
41	Potential vs. Reality Can we put a human on the moon? … Yes. But, how much does it cost? Business common sense: final product value must exceed cost.
42	References Benemann, John. 2009. Algae biofuels -- a brief introduction. jbenemann@aol.com Sheehan et. al. 1998. U.S. Department of Energy's Aquatic Species Program: Biodiesel from Algae; Close-Out Report. 325 pp.; NREL Report No. TP-580-24190 http://www.nrel.gov/docs/legosti/fy98/24190.pdf http://www.spe.org/spe-site/spe/spe/industry/reserves/GlossaryPetroleumReserves-ResourcesDefinitions_2005.pdf US Department of Energy (DOE): http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/international/reserves.html http://www.eia.doe.gov/basics/quickoil.html http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/pet/pet_cons_psup_dc_nus_mbbl_a.htm
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44	On-Line Literature & Slide Shows www.ca.uky.edu/wkrec/Wurtspage.htm