ALGAE TO ETHANOL Using algae fermentation to produce

ALGAE TO ETHANOL: Using algae fermentation to produce ethanol 4 th AFRICAN BIOFUEL CONFERENCE March 2009

Algae!

Why Algae? • Fast growers relative to other plants and animals – can double their weight every day • High carbohydrate/low lignin content • Gallons of oil per acre per year – – – corn soybeans sunflower rapeseed oil palm micro algae 18 48 102 127 635 5 000 - 15 000

Process Selection Objectives… • • • Must be simple The process itself must be “bullet proof” Must have low maintenance A labourer must be able to look after algae production A semi-skilled labourer must be able to run conversion Must have low operating costs – little or no nutrient cost – little or no energy cost

Why ethanol and not oil for biodiesel?

Why Algae to Ethanol… • Wild algae – – have to be fast growers to survive in nature generally contain <10% oil (lipid) generally contain high carbohydrate >50% can be grown in open raceways without fear of contamination • Equipment – raceways are low cost installations ($75 000/ha) – raceways consume very little power (10 k. W/ha) – starch to ethanol conversion plant is relatively expensive and energy intensive (distillation)

Why Algae to Ethanol… • High oil producing algae – – are slower growers than wild algae – double every 2 -3 days can be selected for maximum oil content – 50% not unusual need to be grown in protected environment – typically PBR’s most algae oil can be used for biodiesel production • Photobioreactors (PBR’s) – – allow tight control of growing environment optimise light usage are capital intensive are generally power intensive (300 k. W/ha? )

General Processing Steps Algae to Ethanol

Processing Steps sunlight CO 2 Algae oxygen

Processing Steps sunlight CO 2 oxygen Algae dlute slurry liquid Concentration

Processing Steps sunlight CO 2 oxygen Algae dlute slurry liquid Concentration concentrated slurry acid Hydrolysis heat

Processing Steps sunlight CO 2 oxygen Algae dlute slurry liquid Concentration concentrated slurry acid alkali Hydrolysis heat Fermentation yeast cooling

Processing Steps sunlight CO 2 oxygen Algae dlute slurry liquid ethanol Distillation Concentration concentrated slurry acid alkali Hydrolysis heat “beer” Fermentation yeast cooling

Processing Steps sunlight CO 2 oxygen Algae Digestion dlute slurry liquid stillage Distillation Concentration concentrated slurry acid alkali Hydrolysis heat “beer” Fermentation yeast cooling ethanol

Processing Steps sunlight CO 2 oxygen biogas liquid digestate Algae dlute slurry liquid Digestion stillage Distillation Concentration concentrated slurry acid solid digestate alkali Hydrolysis “beer” Fermentation heat yeast cooling ethanol

Processing Steps sunlight CO 2 oxygen biogas liquid digestate Algae dlute slurry liquid Digestion stillage Distillation Concentration CO 2 concentrated slurry acid solid digestate alkali Hydrolysis “beer” Fermentation heat yeast cooling ethanol

Processing Steps sunlight CO 2 oxygen biogas liquid digestate Algae dlute slurry liquid Digestion stillage CO 2 Concentration Distillation CO 2 concentrated slurry acid solid digestate alkali “beer” CO 2 Hydrolysis Fermentation heat yeast cooling ethanol

Processing Steps CO 2 sunlight CO 2 oxygen biogas liquid digestate Algae dlute slurry liquid CO 2 Digestion Distillation CO 2 concentrated slurry alkali “beer” CO 2 Hydrolysis heat solid digestate stillage Concentration acid ~ CHP Fermentation yeast cooling ethanol

Pilot Plant

Pilot Plant • Components – 20 m 2 raceway with 0. 55 k. W paddle drive – solar panels to supply heat to the digester

Pilot Plant

Pilot Plant

Pilot Plant

Pilot Plant • Components – 20 m 2 raceway with 0. 55 k. W paddle drive – solar panels to supply heat to the digester – digester

Pilot Plant

Pilot Plant • Components – – 20 m 2 raceway with 0. 55 k. W paddle drive solar panels to supply heat to the digester “compost tea” maker

Pilot Plant

Pilot Plant • Components – – – 20 m 2 raceway with 0. 55 k. W paddle drive solar panels to supply heat to the digester “compost tea” maker DAF container to make “white water”

Pilot Plant

Pilot Plant

Pilot Plant

Pilot Plant • Components – – – 20 m 2 raceway with 0. 55 k. W paddle drive solar panels to supply heat to the digester “compost tea” maker DAF container to make “white water” stainless steel pressure cooker

Pilot Plant

Pilot Plant • Components – – – – 20 m 2 raceway with 0. 55 k. W paddle drive solar panels to supply heat to the digester “compost tea” maker DAF container to make “white water” stainless steel pressure cooker plastic fermenter

Pilot Plant

Pilot Plant • Components – – – – 20 m 2 raceway with 0. 55 k. W paddle drive solar panels to supply heat to the digester “compost tea” maker DAF container to make “white water” stainless steel pressure cooker plastic fermenter electrically operated stainless steel batch still

Pilot Plant

Pilot Plant • Components – – – – – 20 m 2 raceway with 0. 55 k. W paddle drive solar panels to supply heat to the digester “compost tea” maker DAF container to make “white water” stainless steel pressure cooker plastic fermenter electrically operated stainless steel batch still various tanks, pumps, drums and buckets

Pilot Plant

Pilot Plant Results • Main Production Results – – algae density growth oil recovery ethanol production 4 gram/litre 140 g/m 2/day negligible 50 - 70 ml ethanol/m 2/day

Moving Toward Commercialisation

Production Plant Projection Item Units 500 l/day Pond area ha 1. 0 Installed power k. W 30 Capital cost $ 600 k Variable cost $/litre 0. 05 Fixed costs $/year 17. 5 k Selling price $/litre 0. 50 Sales $ 85 k Gross profit $ 59 k 5000 l/day

Production Plant Projection Item Units 500 l/day 5000 l/day Pond area ha 1. 0 10 Installed power k. W 30 150 Capital cost $ 600 k 2. 75 m Variable cost $/litre 0. 05 0. 1 Fixed costs $/year 17. 5 k 35 k Selling price $/litre 0. 50 Sales $ 85 k 850 k Gross profit $ 59 k 645 k

Commercial Production • Physical requirements – relatively level site

Commercial Size Site

Commercial Size Site

Commercial Size Site

Commercial Production • Physical requirements – relatively level site – water – power to drive paddles • Potential deployment for “emerging farmers” – can be deployed to tribal areas – relatively low cost for ponds ~ R 75/m 2 – centralized conversion plant: • can use a tanker for moving algae nutrient and concentrate to and from algae ponds to centralized plant • better economy of scale for larger plant • better process and inventory control

Challenges to Commercialization • • • Oil price stability High capital cost Limited markets at small volumes Theft of product Challenges to tribal area deployment – Power for paddles: solar? – Theft and vandalism – cables, tanks and pumps are vulnerable

Summary • • Production of algae to produce ethanol is economically viable Wild algae production does not require a lot of attention Can be rolled out for emerging farmers Conversion plant operation requires semi-skilled expertise

Growing algae in the snow!

Growing algae in the snow!

Growing algae in the snow!

QUESTIONS? rex@process. co. za www. process. co. za