Implementation of Algal Biofuel Todd Fox Julie Steady

Implementation of Algal Biofuel Todd Fox • Julie Steady • Anna Villaver Team France • 18 November 2015

What is Algal Biofuel? ❖ Alternative renewable energy source to fossil fuels 1 ❖ Algae strains that are grown and harvested to be converted into energy fuel 2 1 Yeang, Ken. (2008). Biofuel from Algae. 2 Lai, E. P. C. (2014). Biodiesel: Environmental Friendly Alternative to Petrodiesel. Infographic taken from the Bioenergize. ME Competition for the U. S. Department of Energy, http: //frogsaregreen. org/tag/energy-bioenergizeme-infographic-challenge.

Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, is being cultivated for biofuel and is acknowledged by researchers as a promising platform for biofuel production. Photo from The Electrochemical Society, http: //www. ecsblog. org/from-bacteria-to-biofuel/

History ❖ Bio Intelligent Quotient (BIQ) House in the German city of Hamburg 1 ❖ This self-sustaining building makes use of both solar thermal and geothermal energy allowing it to be cooled and heated without burning any fossil fuels 1 Photo from The Archictecture Student, http: //www. thearchitecturalstudent. com/2014/08/biq-house. html 1 Yirka, Bob. (2013). First Algae Powered Building Goes up in Hamburg.

Algal Biofuel Production ❖ Grown in unusable agricultural lands, dark warehouses, the sea, open ponds, and algal turf scrubbers 1 ❖ Pumps nutrient-rich water through bioreactors 2 Infographic taken from Sopphire Energy, http: //www. zebrapartners. net/sapphiremedia/corporate/ Sapphire%20 Process%20 diagram%20 -%20 video%20 res. jpg 1 Alaswad, A. , Dassisti M. , Olabi, A. G. , and Prescott, T. (2015). Technologies and Developments of Third Generation Biofuel Production. 2 Karsjen, Steve. (2015). From Green Slime to Green Fuel.

Algae is grown in a “bioreactor” at Purdue University for biodiesel production. Photo from Purdue University News Service, http: //www. purdue. edu/newsroom/research/2010/100413 Morgan. Algae. html

Algae-Based Biofuel Progress ❖ Urban Algae Canopy for Expo Milano 2015’s Future Food District 1 ❖ Future plans 1 for a larger installation: ➢ as much oxygen as four hectares of woodland ➢ 150 kg of biomass ❖ Government agencies and several companies invested in making algae biofuel commercially viable 2 Photo from http: //www. gizmag. com/urban-algae-canopy-milan-expo/374 80/pictures#1 1 Blain, Loz. (2015). Urban Algae Canopy. 2 Demirbas, M. Fatih. (2011). Biofuels from Algae for Sustainable Development.

Urban Algae Canopy by eco. Logic. Studio in Milan This is the world’s first bio-digital canopy that integrates micro-algal cultures. Photo from Domus, http: //www. domusweb. it/en/news/2014/04/30/urban_algae_canopy. html

Algal Biofuel Over Other Renewable Resources ❖ Algal Biofuel is not as expensive as other renewable resources 2 ❖ Energy. Fuel made from wind turbines is limited to the country whereas algae can be used directly in large metropolitan areas 2 ❖ Claimed to yield between 10 and 100 times more fuel per unit area than other biofuels 1 1 Stone, Dan. (2012). National Geographic: Can Algae Power the Future? 2 Lai, E. P. C. (2014). Biodiesel: Environmental Friendly Alternative to Petrodiesel. Photo from http: //www. splitterwerk. at/database/main. php? mode=view& album=2012__The_Clever_Treefrog_2&pic=06_The_Clever_Treefrog_2. jpg&dispsize=512&start=0

Algal Biofuel Feasibility: Pros ❖ Versatile renewable energy source; multi-use biofuel, feed and food 1 ❖ Fast-growing biomass that can be harvested daily 1 ❖ Agricultural compatibility 2 ❖ Convenient Production/Growth Area 2 ❖ No waste or pollution 2 1 Karsjen, Steve. (2015). From Green Slime to Green Fuel. 2 Stone, Dan. (2012). National Geographic: Can Algae Power the Future? Photo from http: //www. wynnnetworkassociates. com/wp-content/uploads/ 2015/07/Wynn-Network-Associates-Affordable-Care-Act-Obamacare-Prosand-Cons. jpg

Algal Biofuel Feasibility: Challenges/Cons ❖ Costs $8 per gallon 1 ❖ Harvesting algae on a commercial scale is not currently efficient 2 ❖ Algae species must be carefully selected; some produce more oil than others due to a high lipid content 3 ❖ Water evaporation issues depending on climate in an open 1 Stone, Dan. (2012). National Geographic: Can Algae Power the Future? 1 system 2 Karsjen, Steve. (2015). From Green Slime to Green Fuel. 3 Malik, Arunima, Lenzen, Manfred, Ralph, Peter J, Tamburic, Bojan. (2015) Hybrid Life-Cycle Assessment of Algal Biofuel Production. Photo from http: //www. wynnnetworkassociates. com/wp-content/ uploads/2015/07/Wynn-Network-Associates-Affordable-Care-Act. Obamacar-Pros-and-Cons. jpg

Questions?

Works Cited (1) (2) (3) 480. Alaswad, A. , Dassisti M. , Olabi, A. G. , and Prescott, T. “Technologies and Developments of Third Generation Biofuel Production. ” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 51 (2015): 1446 -1460. Print. Blain, Loz. "Urban Algae Canopy. " Urban Algae Canopy. Gizmag, 12 May 2015. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. <http: //www. gizmag. com/urban-algae-canopy-milan-expo/37480/>. Demirbas, M. Fatih. "Biofuels from Algae for Sustainable Development. " Applied Energy 88. 10 (2011): 3473 - World. Cat [OCLC]. Web. 2 Sept. 2015. (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) Karsjen, Steve. "From Green Slime to Green Fuel. " From Green Slime to Green Fuel (n. d. ): n. pag. Creating Materials and Energy Solutions. U. S. Department of Energy. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. Lai, E. P. C. "Biodiesel: Environmental Friendly Alternative to Petrodiesel. " J Pet Environ Biotechnol 5 (2014): e 122. Print. Malik, Arunima, Lenzen, Manfred, Ralph, Peter J, Tamburic, Bojan. “Hybrid Life-Cycle Assessment of Algal Biofuel Production. ” Bioresource Technology 184 (2015): 436 -443. Print. Stone, Dan. "Can Algae Power the Future? " National Geographic. N. p. , 29 Nov. 2012. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. Yirka, Bob. "First Algae Powered Building Goes up in Hamburg. " First Algae Powered Building Goes up in Hamburg. Phys. org, 12 Apr. 2013. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. Yeang, Ken. "Biofuel from Algae. " Architectural Design, 10 Apr. 2008. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. <http: //onlinelibrary. wiley. com/doi/10. 1002/ad. 689/abstract>.