A SEMINAR ON BIOFUELS FROM ALGAE
A ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF ENERGY
with
challenges and opportunities By Bhushan Bhusare
BIOFUELS Fuel is something that can be burned
to produce energy in the form of heat or power. Fuels include coal, oil, natural gas, and wood.
Biofuels can be defined as liquid fuels produced from biomass(Chisti,2013).
They can be produced from agricultural and forest products, and the biodegradable portion of industrial and municipal waste(Dufey,2006).
HISTORY OF BIOFUEL From 1978 to 1996 the U.S. Department of
Energy funded a program to develop renewable transportation fuels from algae.
The main focus of the program was known as the Aquatic Species Program (or ASP).
Production of biodiesel from high lipid-content algae grown in ponds.
Utilized waste CO2 from coal fired power plants.
First generation :-Bioethanol from starch and sugar crop and biodiesel from oil crop.
Second generation –Agricultural residues, trees and grasses for production of biodiesel.
(Department of Energy. 1996)
4
TYPES OF BIOFUELBioalcohol
Use as Fuel
More expensive than other
Methanol, ethanol,butanol,
propanol are use in Bioalcohol
Fig.No. 1
AVIATION BIOFUEL
•Similar like kerosene
•There are 2 types: Jet A and Jet B
•Use in Aeroplane
Fig.No. 2
BIODIESEL•Pollution free
•Protect from global warming
•Made by green vegetable and corn
•Algae are also used
Fig no:3
7
SOLID BIOFUEL Made by solid material like wood
Wood, sawdust, leaves,dried animal dung's are used
Fig No:4
WHAT IS ALGAE? Algae
Simple plantMost live in waterPhotosynthetic
Capture light energyConvert inorganic to organic matter
NonvascularRange from small, single-celled species to complex
multicellular species.
MAJOR GROUPS OF ALGAE Red Algae
Benthic Macro
Green Algae Chlorophyll a and b Plants Freshwater
Brown Algae Benthic Macro Kelp Marine
Diatoms Single celled Silica cell wall
Blue Green Algae Vertical migration Fix N2 from air Freshwater
Dinoflagellates Toxic; suck out O2
Cause red tides Organic matter
CHEMICAL CONTENT-FOR BIOFUEL
Algae are capable of the synthesis and accumulation of a variety of high energy molecules, including fatty acids (FA) and TAGs, the major feedstock for biodiesel production.
Lipid content higher than 50% is frequently described in many species, which represents one of the advantages of using microalgae instead of vascular plants for biodiesel production.
(Chisti, 2007).
STORING THE SUN’S ENERGY (PHOTOSYNTHESIS)
What is needed Sunlight CO2 Nutrients
Storage of Energy Lipids and oils Carbohydrates
http://www.veggievan.org/downloads/articles/Biodiesel%20from%20Algae.pdf
13
“There is no magic-bullet fuel crop that can solve our energy woes without harming the environment, says virtually every scientist studying the issue. But most say that algae… comes closer than any other plant…” National Geographic October, 2007
http://www-csgc.ucsd.edu/NEWSROOM/NEWSRELEASES/2009/AlgaeForBiofuels.html
WHY ALGAE Global energy demand is increase for fossil fuel but it is
not sustainable Global warming Alternative source of fuel which are carbon neutral If food crop used may be arising of food shortage Less oil yield from plants Plant lifecycle and time span Land problem for crops Labors and fertilizers Energy security foreign exchange savings
(Balat, 2009; Kan,2009; Yenikaya et al. 2009, Demirbas, 2011)
Algae can be used to make biodiesel Produces large amounts oil
When compared to terrestrial crops grown for the same purpose
Once harvested, this oil can be converted into fuels for transportation, aviation or heating
High growth rate and easy to growWarm Seasons
Amphora sp. Tetraselmis suecica
Cold SeasonsMonoraphidium minutum
Use of diatoms and green algae
• Algae does not compete for land and space with other agricultural crops
• Algae can survive in water of high salt content and use water that was previously deemed unusable.
• Algae Biodiesel is a good replacement for standard crop Biodiesels like soy and canola.
• High yield per acre
• Up to 70% of algae biomass is usable oils (Chisti, 2007).
• Contains no sulphur therefore no SO2 emissions(Hu et al. 2008; Johnson and Wen, 2009; Rodolfi et al. 2009; Pokoo-
Aikins, 2010;Singh and Gu, 2010; Liu etal. 2011 ).
• Mostly non toxic and highly biodegradable
• Adaptable anywhere even at great distances from water
• Help to solve dependence on fossil fuels
• Microalgae can generate as much as 40 times more oil per acre than other plants used or biofuels (Schenk et al., 2008).
EXAMPLE OF ALGAE USED IN BIODIESEL
Botryococcus braunii Converts 61% of its
biomass into oil Drops to only 31% oil
under stress Grows best between 22-
25oC (71-77oF)
www.kluyvercentre.nl/content/ documents/Verslag2biodieselBaarnschLyceum.pdf -
WHERE TO GROW IT Extensions onto our water treatment plants
Clean up our waste and generate fuel Agriculture runoff
Exploit the county’s many farms and vineyard.
For waste water treatment Chlorella vulgaris, Scenedesmus obliquus, Ourococcus
multisporus (Ji et al., 2013), Chaetoceros mulleri (Juan, 2006) and Tetraselmis suecica (Perez-Rama et al., 2002).
Microalga Oil content(mg/l/day)
Marine strainsProphyridium cruentum 34.8Tetraselmis suecica 27Nannochloropsis 61Isochrysis 37.7Chaetoceros calcitrans 17.6
Freshwater strainsChlorococcum 53.7Scenedesmus 53.9Chlorella 42.1Scenedesmus quadricauda 35.1Chlorella vulgaris 32.6
Some algal strains and lipid content for Biofuel production(Rodolfi et al., 2009)
CULTIVATIONTwo basic alternative for microalgae cultivations Open system (Ponds) Closed system (Bioreactor)
OPEN POND It carried out in shallow basins open to environments. Most common types- Raceway circular inclined mixed
Molina Grima et al., 1999
ADVANTAGES OF OPEN POND SYSTEMS Cultivation can be made directly in pond Operation and maintenance costs are relatively low Used in pilot projects partially funded by the government In wastewater treatment plants In commercial scale algal cultivation for the health food
market. Spirulina ,(Arthrospira platensis) ,Dunaliella salina, Chlorella
vulgaris and Haematococcus pluvialis (for astaxanthin) production.
BIOREACTOR These are systems where the cultures are
enclosed in some transparent recipient.
Types : plastic bags, flat panels, tubes, According to (Suali and Sarbatly,
2012),Vertical tubes are among the most popular system
easy maintenance, high surface to volume ratio Increased surface area
Capital costs relatively more expensive
Haematococcus pluvialis commercially in Hawaii and israil.
ADVANTAGES Resistance to contamination by wild algae strains or
herbivores. Artificial light can be provided by any regular light
source such as tungsten or fluorescent bulbs. A locally isolated strain of Nanno chloropsis showed a
higher growth rate, lipid productivity and different lipid profile under blue light (470 nm) when compared with growth under white, red (680 nm) or green (550 nm) (Das et al., 2011b).
Photo Bio Reactor Systems
http://www.braziltexas.org/attachments/contentmanagers/1/1Thurmond_PDF_Presentation.pdf
A Photo-Bioreactor in Translucent Tube from
GreenFuels
Global Green Solutions/Vertigro Vertical Photo Bioreactor System
PROS AND CONS OF PHOTOBIOREACTOR AND OPEN PONDS
Issue Photobioreactor Open Pond
Control of of culture conditions pH, temp.,dissolved CO2
Easy Medium
Susceptibility to culture contamination
Low High
Water evaporation Low High
Productivity per m2 High Medium
Energy input High Low
HARVESTING The choice of harvest method will vary depending on the ultimate use of
the biomass. Example-Neutraceutical products may require physical processes for
harvesting, thus avoiding chemical contamination, and maintaining the product’s natural characteristics.
Methods used for harvesting of algae Centrifugation Flocculation Filtration Sedimentation Biofilm formation Nanoforming technologies
(Chisti,2007)
Centrifugation(Dassey and Theegala, 2013):-Advantages : The method of choice in small scale It is highly effective Capable of harvesting all but the most fragile species. Drawback : The method is too energy intensive.
Flocculation Chemical flocculents Chitosan or
polyacrylamide,alum(aluminium potassium sulphates).
Filtration:- Most microalgae are too small to be effectively harvested this way
since their small size and extracellular material quickly clog filters that have been tested.
Chlorell vulgaris and Scenedesmus Obliquus=2 to 10 µmPhormidium sp.=1 to 3 µmDunaleilla Tertiolecta=9 to 11 µm Sedimentation/flotation:-Merit : Some microalgal species have the peculiar properties of either
sedimenting or floating in the absence of sufficient mixing. While this property could be used to advantage in a least an initial dewatering process,
Demerit: the applicability of this method would require a high level of species
control during cultivation
Biofilm formation:- simple mechanical harvesting was achieved by simply
unspooling and scraping the cotton ‘‘rope’’ fiber that was used (Christenson and Sims, 2012).
In another approach,algae were recovered by simple mechanical scraping (Ozkan et al., 2012).
Nanofarming: The process doesn't harm the algae like other methods being
developed, which helps reduce both production costs and the production cycle.
TRANSESTERIFICATIONhttp://w
ww.nrel.gov/docs/legosti/
fy98/24190.pdf
ALKALI-SODIUM OR POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE
WHAT AFFECTS OIL PRODUCTION? Climate
Cold weather reduces algae oil productionOvercast days reduce sunlight and lower oil
production
OIL YIELDGallons of Oil per Acre per Year
Corn . . . . . . . 15
Soybeans . . . .48
Safflower. . . . . 83
Sunflower . . . 102
Rapeseed. . . 127
Oil Palm . . . . 635
Algae…. .1850 [based on actual biomass yields]
Algae . .5000-15000 [theoretical laboratory yield] (Chisti, (2007) Biotechnology Advances 25 294–306).
OTHER USES Hydrogen
Algae can be grown to produce hydrogenDiscovered first in 1939 by Hans GaffromLate 1990’s it was found that if sulfur deprived,
algae will produce hydrogen Biomass
Algae can be grown to produce biomassBurned to produce heat and electricity Can still produce greenhouse gases
BIOFUEL IN INDIA OilgaeCompany name Location
Oilgae Chennai
Abca biosolution pvt ltd(computer controlled algae photobioreactor)
Punjab
Shirke energy Maharashtra
Biodiesel tech Kolkata
My neo energy Maharashtra
Growdiesel consortion Delhi
40
Sapphire Energy - Using algae to make fuels
southern new Mexico. A 300-acre integrated algal biorefinery . Making jet fuel. he plan is to make 1 million gallons of diesel and jet fuel per year by 2011
DIESEL HYBRID-IN EUROPEAN UNION, SEPARATESTANDARDS EXIST FOR BIODIESEL INTENDED FOR VEHICLE USE (STANDARD EN 14214).
(Knothe, 2006).
WHY BIODIESEL Biodiesel is an acceptable alternative fuel for diesel
engine, due to its technical, environmental and strategic advantages
Biodegradability The characteristics of biodiesel reduce the emissions of
carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC) and particulate matter (PM) in the exhaust gas as compared with petroleum diesel, so is environmentally beneficial (Knothe, 2005; Lapuerta et al., 2008).
CHALLENGES Isolate/select algal strains for mass cultures Manage ponds for algal species and culture stability Maximize overall algal biomass productivity Maximize C-storage products Demonstrate large-scale, low cost algal cultivation Develop low cost harvesting technologies •Processing
for biofuels and higher value co-products. Demonstrate waste treatment - nutrient recovery Photosynthesis limitation Light saturation
OPPORTUNITYBiomass is the leading renewable resource that can provide drop-in
fuel replacements utilizing existing infrastructure for light and heavy duty vehicles and air transportation.
Making the biofuel cheaper .Production of low cost bioreactor.Use of unused natural water resources for algal production.Genetically modified algae such as transformation studies.After lipid extraction use of remaining material for value added
product that may minimize cost of biodiesel.Grazing and contamination problem in open system.Phytological research .
REFERENCES Balat H (2009) Prospects of biofuels for a sustainable energy
future: a critical assessment. Energy Education Science and Technology Part A, 24: 85-111.
Briggs M (2008) Widescale Biodiesel Production from Algae. University of New Hampshire Physics Department.
Chisti Y (2007) Biodiesel from microalgae. Biotechnology Advances 25:294–306.
Chisti Y (2013) Constraints to commercialization of algal fuels. Journal of Biotechnology. Journal of Biotechnology 167:201–214.
Demirbas MF, Balat M, Balat H (2011) Biowastes-to-biofuels. Energy Conversion and Management. 52(4): 1815-1828. ISSN: 0196-8904.
Department of Energy (1996) Office of Fuel Development. “Aquatic Species Program”.
Dufey A (2006) Biofuels production, trade and sustainable development: emerging issues. International Institute for Environment and Development, London.
Enhanced Biofuels & Technologies Ltd. (2007) . Guiry MD, Blunden G (1991) Seaweed Resources in Europe:
Uses and Potential. John Wiley & Sons. Gustavo BL, Abdelaziz AEM, Patrick CH (2013) Algal biofuels:
Challenges and opportunities. Bioresource Technology 145:134–141.
Hu Q, Sommerfeld M, Jarvis E, Ghirardi M, Posewitz M, Seibert M, Darzins A (2008) Microalgal triacylglycerols as feedstocks for biofuel production: perspectives and advances. The Plant Journal, 54: 621-639. ISSN:0960-7412.
Ji MK, Abou-Shanab RAI, Kim SH, Salama E, Lee SH, Kabra AN, Lee YS, Hong S, Jeon BH (2013) Cultivation of microalgae species in tertiary municipal wastewater supplemented with CO2 for nutrient removal and biomass production.Ecological Engineering, 58:142-148, ISSN 0925-8574.
John S, Terri D, John B ,Paul R(1998) "A Look Back at the U.S. Department of Energy's Aquatic Species Program-Bio-diesel from Algae, Closeout Report.NREL/TP-580-24 .
Johnson MB, Wen Z (2009) Production of biodiesel fuel forms the microalga Schizochytrium limacinum by direct transesterification of algal biomass. Energy Fuels, 23: 5179-5183.
Juan (2006) Growth and physiological responses of Chaetoceros mulleri and Dunaliella salina to different aquaculture wastewater. Nanjing Agricultura
Kan A (2009) General characteristics of waste management: a review. Energy Education.Science and Technology Part A, 23: 55:69.
Knothe G, Dunn RO, Bagby MO (1997) Biodiesel: the use of vegetable oils and their derivatives as alternative diesel fuels. ACS Symp Ser 666:172–208.
Larkum A, Susan ED, John AR (2003) Photosynthesis In Algae. Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Liu J, Huang J,Sun Z, Zhong Y, Jiang Y,Chen F (2011) Differential lipid and fatty acid profiles of photoautotrophic and heterotrophic Chlorella zofingiensis: Assessment of algal oils for biodiesel production. Bioresource Technology, 102: 106-110.
Molina GE (1999) Microalgae, mass culture methods. In: Flickinger MC,Drew SW, editors. Encyclopedia of bioprocess technology: fermentation,biocatalysis and bioseparation, 3:1753-1769.
Mumford TF, Miura A (1988) Porphyra as food: cultivation and economics. p.87 — 117.
NREL (2005) Cultivating Algae for Liquid Fuel Production. Paolo G, Barsanti L (2006) Algae : Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Biotechnology. Boca
Raton: Taylor & Francis. Pérez-Rama M,Alonso JA, López CH, Vaamonde ET (2002) Cadmium removal by living
cells of the marine microalga Tetraselmis suecica. Bioresource Technology, 84(3): 265-270. ISSN 0960-8524l College.
Pokoo-Aikins G, Nadim A ,El-Halwagi ME, Mahalec V(2010) Design and analysis of biodiesel production form algae grown through carbon sequestration. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, 12(3): 239-254.
Riesing A, Thomas F (2008) "Cultivating Algae for Liquid Fuel Production." Permaculture Activist
Rodolfi L, Zittelli GC, Bassi N,Padovani G, Biondi N, Tredici MR (2009) Microalgae for oil: strain selection, induction of lipid synthesis and outdoor mass cultivation in a low-cost photobioreactor. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 102(1):100-112. DOI: 10.1002/bit.22033.
Schenk PM, Hall SR, Stephens E, Marx UC, Mussgnug JH, Posten C, Kruse O, Hankamer B(2008) Second generation biofuels: high-efficiency microalgae for biodiesel production. Bioenerg. Res. 1, 20–43.
Somerville C, Youngs H, Taylor C, Davis SC, Long SP (2010) Feedstocks for Lignocellulosic Biofuels. Science.329:790-792.
United Nations. Food and Agriculture Organization (1997) "Oil production." Renewable biological systems for alternative sustainable energy production. Osaka: Food and Agriculture Organization.
Yenikaya C, Yaman H, Atar N, Eredogan Y ,Colak F (2009) Biomass resources and decolorization of acidic dyes from aqueous solutions by biomass biosorption. Energy Education Science and Technology Part A, 24: 1-13.