Advances in Biological Carbon Capture and Use: A Path to ...energyoutlook2016.naseo.org/Data/Sites/8/media/... · 2016 NASEO Energy Policy Outlook Conference February 11, 2016 Matt

Advances in Biological Carbon Capture and Use:A Path to Economically Viable CO2 Mitigation

for Fossil Power?

2016 NASEO Energy Policy Outlook ConferenceFebruary 11, 2016

Matt CarrExecutive Director

[email protected]

Algae Biomass Organization | www.algaebiomass.org

The Challenge

Reduce GHG emissions from fossil power generation and other industrial sources…

Economically

Future solutions…

Algae Biomass Organization www.algaebiomass.org

drawn from the past


What are Algae?

Algae

Some of earliest life on Earth

Highly diverse set of organisms

• Estimated 50,000+ species

Size: microscopic (microalgae) to large seaweeds (macroalgae)e.g. giant kelp

Microalgae include:

• Cyanobacteria (blue-green)

• Green, brown and red algae


What are Algae?

Algae

Mostly photosynthetic

• Sunlight + CO2 (autotrophic)

Some feed on sugars…

• Heterotrophic

…or do both

• Mixotrophic


What are Algae?

Algae

Exceptionally fast-growing• Mature in days vs. months/years

Exceptionally productive

Why Algae: Yield

Comparison of Feedstock Crops

Plant

AverageBiomass

Yields

(MT / ha / yr)

Oil Content

(% dry mass)

Sugar / Starch

Content

(% dry mass)

Energy Content of Oil / Sugar /

Starch

(boe / 1000ha / day)

Protein Content

(% dry mass)

Soy/Soy oil 1 - 2.5 20% 18% 3 - 8 37%

Rapeseed 3 40% NA 22 23%

Palm/Palm oil 19 20% NA 63 15%

Jatropha 7.5 - 10 30 - 50% NA 40 - 100 24 - 28%

Corn 10 - 12 4% 75% 240 - 300 4 - 14%

Sugarcane 60 - 70 NA 12 - 16% 230 - 370 3 - 4%

Microalgae 40 - 100+ 25 - 50%+ 15 - 25% 330 - 785+ 25 - 60%+

ALGAE

<500

1kg

WaterFootprint(Liters)

Emissions(kg CO2e)

LandUse(m2)

Grain forFeed(kg)

Sources: Water www.waterfootprint.org/?page=files/productgallery; emissions and land use UK DEFRA (2006), http://goo.gl/T12.ho; grain National Geographic, http://goo.gl/4CgFB; Algae, Cellana estimates

<0.25Negative

Why Algae: SustainabilityLowest Carbon, Water, & Arable Land Footprints of Any Crop

http://www.waterfootprint.org/?page=files/productgallery

http://goo.gl/T12.ho

http://goo.gl/4CgFB


The Biological Capture and Utilization Opportunity

Algae

CO2 eating machines…

2,000 acres of algae consume as much CO2 as 40,000,000 trees• 1.2 tonnes of CO2 per acre-year consumed by average US forest vs. 75 tonnes/ac-yr for direct-to-ethanol• Equivalent to 125,000 acres of average US forest• Based on EPA Estimates


The Algae CO2 Utilization Opportunity

Algae

Factory for production of:

o oils

o proteins

o other high-value products

Can produce …100 gallons biofuel per ton CO2


The Algae CO2 Utilization Opportunity

Product value from algae conversion:> $200 / ton CO2

Today: Algae developers buy CO2 (at $40+ / ton) as a feedstock

Industrial CO2 Challenge + Algae = Opportunity

Platinum Members

Gold Members

Diamond Members

Corporate Members

• Pilot project at Duke’s East Bend Coal-powered Generating Station

• Recently awarded $1 million DOE Fossil Energy Grant

Beneficial Re-use of Carbon Using Microalgae University of Kentucky / Duke Energy

Algal Biomass Organization | www.algalbiomass.org

Co-located with naptha / fuel oil-powered steam-injected combustion turbine power plant

Confidential

Gas Feed Stream

Gas Reception Compression Fermentation Recovery ProductTank

Gas fermentation technology

converts

C-rich gases to fuels and

chemicals

Proprietary

Microbe

• Multiple demonstration plants at various scales

• First commercial facility under construction in Belgium

40,000 combined hours on streamMultiple runs exceeding 2000 hours


State of Algae Carbon Utilization Technology

Algenol Biofuels

• 2-acre commercial demonstration in Lee County, FL

• Pilot demo at Reliance petroleum refinery in India

• Received EPA approval as advanced biofuel with 69% GHG reduction vs. gasoline

• 5-acre commercial demonstration in Shenandoah, IA, co-located with Green Plains corn ethanol plant

• Continuous operation since 2009 utilizing waste CO2, waste heat, waste nutrients

• Markets: Fuel, fish/animal feed



BioProcess Algae

TerraSync™ Advanced Plant Trials - Shanghai Advanced Research Institute Chinese Academy of Science

Chongming Qianwei Eco-Farm

YosemiteMelons

Germination 2X

Early Growth 2.5X

Plant Size & Density 3X

Early Melon Maturity 2X

Mature Melon Size 1.4X

Mature Melon Weight 1.5X

Taste (blind panel test) 14:1

200 Acre Algae Biofertilizer Demonstration – Arizona Farm

12 Weeks to harvest and a week sooner to market

WithAlgae

Biofertilizer WithoutAlgae

Biofertilizer

• Algae cultivated in simple PBR’s adjacent to the melon field• Algae distributed through drip irrigation system



Technology Maturation / Demonstration

• DOE-funded integrated algae biorefinery commercial demonstration projects in

o Florida (Algenol Biofuels)

o New Mexico (Sapphire Energy)

• Pilot demonstrations with flue gas from variety of industrial sources

o Coal, other power plants

o Cement, steel

o Ethanol



Technology Maturation / Demonstration• Contracts with major refiners



Product Diversification

Bioplastics• Algix manufacturing plant

opens in Mississippi

Biofertilizers• Accelergy validating

Terrasync terrestrial sequestration platform

Human / Animal Nutrition• Synthetic Genomics , ADM

to produce omega-3s



Strategic Partnerships / Globalization

Sapphire / Sinopec• Validate and deploy

in China

Heliae / Sincere Corp• Build first commercial

facility in Japan

Solazyme / Bunge• Manufacturing plant

online in Brazil


Algae Facilities in U.S. and Canada


Clean Power Plan as Economic Opportunity

CPP Final Rules

• Include Carbon Capture and Use (CCU) as a compliance option

• Specifically recognize algae CCU as a potential platform

• Establish procedure to qualify CCU projects


What Needs to Happen

State(s) include CCU in their compliance plan

• Perhaps as part of an “innovative technologies” bucket?

Establish approved accounting methodology

• Have a key state take the lead?

Increased federal funding forR&D and scale-up

• FY16 U.S. Senate Energy Appropriations includes $10 million for CCU


Conclusions

Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) via algae and other micro-organisms offers an economically attractive CO2 mitigation option for new and existing sources

Clean Power Plan lays groundwork for commercial deployment

Opportunity for states to substantially reduce, or even offset, portion of compliance cost


Learn More – RecycleCarbon.org


2016 Algae Biomass Summit

Phoenix, ArizonaOctober 23 - 27, 2016

Documents

Advances in Biological Carbon Capture and Use: A Path to ...energyoutlook2016.naseo.org/Data/Sites/8/media/... · 2016 NASEO Energy Policy Outlook Conference February 11, 2016 Matt