UNIVERSITY OF

CAMBRIDGE

Dept of Plant

Sciences

Alison G. Smith & Beatrix Schlarb-Ridley as25@cam.ac.uk , bgs21@cam.ac.uk

Bioenergy from Plants and Algae – pt2

Smart Villages Workshop, January 2013

Case Study 1: Biomass to Bioenergy

Biomass (lignocellulosic /

algal / food

waste)

Bulk Biomass Different components

can be extracted from

the biomass

Carbohydrate Lipids and

hydrocarbons

Biodiesel Bioalcohol

Light / Land

CO2 , H2O Nutrients

Biogas

Anaerobic

digestion

Thermochemical

conversion Burnt

directly

Electricity

/ Heat

Syngas, Pyrolysis

oil, Biochar

SOWTech

stands for Sustainable OneWorld Technologies

● Design innovative ways to recycle organic waste to provide fuel and fertiliser

● Are focussed on finding new ways of achieving this in low income countries

● Are a social enterprise seeking to bring profitable new enterprises to target areas

● Current projects include emergency sanitation trials in Malawi with the support of International Red Cross/Crescent and water conservation/reuse in an arid area of India

Case Study 1:

Integrated faecal treatment for rural community with no electric power

Pasteurisation Tubes

Evaporation Rings

Anaerobic Digester

Portable Biogas Storage

Affordable algae culture systems for energy production in low income countries

Biogas

Anaerobic

digestion

CHP /

cookers

Human / animal /

vegetable waste

Crops

Liquid fertiliser

Algae

Light / Land

CO2 , H2O Nutrients

SOWTech algae

cultivation in plastic

biobags

Algae cultivation in biobags fed

with digestate from anaerobic

digestion facility

Harvesting experiment

Trough formed in centre bottom of biobag to encourage algae to settle to allow collection and harvesting of biomass

Acknowledgements

SOWTech:

Dr John Mullett, Lynn McGeoff

Algal Innovation Centre

What can algae do for sustainable economic growth?

• Need identified in dialogue with industry

• Rounds of stakeholder workshops

• EU funding secured

• Collaborative projects with industry

• 1st stage of facilities implemented

• Broad stakeholder engagement

Biomass to Bioenergy

Biomass (lignocellulosic /

algal / food

waste)

Bulk Biomass Different components

can be extracted from

the biomass

Carbohydrate Lipids and

hydrocarbons

Biodiesel Bioalcohol

Light / Land

CO2 , H2O Nutrients

Biogas

Anaerobic

digestion

Thermochemical

conversion Burnt

directly

Electricity

/ Heat

Syngas, Pyrolysis

oil, Biochar

ATP NAD(P)H

carbohydrates

lipids proteins

Others (e.g. pigments)

BIOMASS

O2 + H+ + e-

(as photons)

‘ENERGY’

H2O

Additional inputs (e.g.

‘N’) CO2

(conversion)

H2O

CO2

H2O

‘ENERGY’

sugar

CO2

η = 27.8%

η = 25%

η = 0.5%

Biomass to Bioenergy

Case Study 2: Bioenergy bypassing Biomass

ATP NAD(P)H

‘organics’

CO2

carbohydrates

lipids proteins

Others (e.g. pigments)

BIOMASS

O2 + H+ + e-

(as photons)

‘ENERGY’

H2O

Additional inputs (e.g.

‘N’)

CO2 (conversion)

H2O

CO2

H2O

‘ENERGY’

η = 27.8%

Dr James Moultrie BPV

Department of Biochemistry

Chemistry Department

Department of Chemical Engineering

and Biotechnology

Dr Petra Cameron Dr Adrian Fisher Dr Ian Wilson

Prof. Alison Smith

Prof. Chis Howe

Dr. Julia Davies Dr. Julian Hibberd

Prof. Sue Harrison

Department of Chemical Engineering and

Biotechnology (Cape Town University)

Dr. Jill Harrison

Department of Physics Cavendish

Laboratory

Prof. Ullrich Steiner

BioPhotoVoltaics Collaborators

Chemistry Department

Dr Erwin Reisner Dr Tuomas Knowles

(Photo)BioElectrochemistry : principle of operation

Photosynthetic activity

Organic component

CO2

O2

e-

H+

CO2

Electron transport system(s)

e-

Exogenous electron transport (direct or mediated) and

proton diffusion

e-

Anodic chamber

Anode

e-

e- O2

H2O

External load

Cathode

Cathodic chamber

CO2

H2O

Light

exudates

[Fe(CN)6]-4

[Fe(CN)6]-3

CO2

e-

V

1

Vascular plants

2 3

4

5

6

7

8

9 10

1

2 Soil

3

4

Roots

Bacteria

5 Anode

6

7

8

9 10

Cation permeable membrane

External resistor

Voltmeter

Cathode

Electron mediator

Rice (6-8 week after germination)

~350 mL pot

Bombelli et al. 2012 - Appl Microbiol Biotechnol

Generating electricity while growing crops

The soft anodic material

CO2

H2O

Light

exudates

[Fe(CN)6]-4

[Fe(CN)6]-3

CO2

e-

V

1

Vascular plants

2 3

4

5

6

7

8

9 10

1

2 Soil

3

4

Roots

Bacteria

5 Anode

6

7

8

9 10

Cation permeable membrane

External resistor

Voltmeter

Cathode

Electron mediator

Tri-dimensional nest of carbon fibre (ca. 20 m per each pot)

The chemical cathode

CO2

H2O

Light

exudates

[Fe(CN)6]-4

[Fe(CN)6]-3

CO2

e-

V

1

Vascular plants

2 3

4

5

6

7

8

9 10

1

2 Soil

3

4

Roots

Bacteria

5 Anode

6

7

8

9 10

Cation permeable membrane

External resistor

Voltmeter

Cathode

Electron mediator

Stainless steel plate (cathode)

Stainless steel connector

Perspexclamp

Perspexclamp

Perspexchamber(6 ml tot volume)

Proton permeable membrane

Rubber seal

Rubber seal

Actual photograph of the cathodic chamber

Cathodic chamber ~7 mL

100mM [Fe(CN)6]3-

~68 Amps

Cation permeable membrane: CMI-7000S (Membrane International Inc., Ringwood, NJ, USA)

Exploded view of the cathodic components forming the cathodic chamber.

Rice

CO2

H2O

Light

exudates

[Fe(CN)6]-4

[Fe(CN)6]-3

CO2

e-

V

1

Vascular

plants

23

4

5

6

7

8

910

1

2 Soil

3

4

Roots

Bacteria

5 Anode

6

7

8

910

Cation permeable m.

External resistor

Voltmeter

Cathode

Electron mediator

a b c

0 24 48 72 96 120 144 168 1920.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

mV

h9.00am 9.00am9.00am 9.00am9.00am 9.00am9.00am 9.00am0 24 48 72 96 120 144 168 192

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

pMFC3

nc

pMFC1

pMFC2

mW

m-2

h

18

hours

of light

0 24 48 72 96 120 144 168 1920.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

mV

h9.00am 9.00am9.00am 9.00am9.00am 9.00am9.00am 9.00am0 24 48 72 96 120 144 168 192

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

pMFC3

nc

pMFC1

pMFC2

mW

m-2

h

18

hours

of light

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 80

100

200

300

400

J m

-2

day

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 80

20

40

60

80

100

J m

-2

day

a b

c d

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 80.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

C

day

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 80

2

4

6

8C

day

Bombelli et al. 2012 - Appl Microbiol Biotechnol

Generating electricity while growing crops

*www.fao.org (FAOSTAT). "Countries by commodity (Rice, paddy)". Retrieved May 26, 2012. **Central Electricity Authority, Ministry of Power, Government of India. June 2012 ***"World Energy Outlook 2011: Energy for All". International Energy Agency. October 2011

Rice Diversity. Part of the image collection of the <a href="http://www.irri.org" rel="nofollow">International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)</a>

http://www.irri.org

Rice, for example: In India, an area of 42 million of hectare (4.2 x 1011 m2)* is used to cultivate rice*. Based on 1.2 billon people, ca. 350 m2 per capita. The average annual electricity consumption in rural areas of India per capita is ~96 kWh, (2009)**/***. Hence ~11 W per capita. A “plant power” system based on “rice/electricity” installed in rural areas in India would require to deliver ca. (11W / 350 m2 ) = ~32 mW m-2

FAOSTAT. Retrieved December 26, 2006

**IRRI. www.irri.org , Retrieved Nov 16, 2012. ***rice, white, long-grain, regular, raw

“IRRI: International Rice Research Institute”

Generating electricity while growing crops

Summary of “Plant Power” and Rice’s device

Vascular Plant Source of anodic microorganisms

Anode material Cathodic electron terminal

Cathode material Maximum power output (GJ ha-1 y-1)

mW m-2

Refer~1.5 ence

Oryza sativa L. cultivar Jiahua No.1

Naturally occurring microorganisms in soil

Graphite mat Oxygen Graphite mat ~0.4 ~1.5

Chen et al. (2012)

Oryza sativa ssp. indica

Effluent of MFC reactor and methanogenic culture

Graphite mat 100 mM potassium ferricyanide or oxygen

Graphite mat or graphite granules

~9 ~33

De Schamphelaire et al. (2008)

Arundinella anomala

Naturally occurring microorganisms in soil

Graphite grains 50 mM potassium ferricyanide or oxygen

Graphite felt ~7 ~22

Helder et al. (2010)

Spartina anglica Naturally occurring microorganisms in soil

Graphite grains 50 mM potassium ferricyanide or oxygen

Graphite felt ~70 ~220

Helder et al. (2010)

Spartina anglica Naturally occurring microorganisms in soil

Graphite felt 50 mM potassium ferricyanide

Flow-through cathode

~67 ~212

Helder et al. (2012)

Lemna minuta Naturally occurring microorganisms in soil

Carbon felt Oxygen Graphite granules ~120 ~380

Hubenova and Mitov (2012)

Oryza sativa L. cv. Sasanishiki

Naturally occurring microorganisms in soil

Graphite felt Oxygen Graphite felt ~2 ~6.5

Kaku et al. (2008)

Glyceria maxima Effluent of MFC running on acetate

Graphite felt and granules

Oxygen Graphite felt ~21 ~67

Strik et al. (2008)

Oryza sativa L. cv. Satojiman

Naturally occurring microorganisms in soil

Graphite felt Oxygen Graphite felt (with platinum catalyst)

~5 ~16

Takanezawa et al. (2010)

Spartina anglica Anolyte of acetate fed MFC Graphite granules

50 mM potassium ferricyanide or oxygen

Graphite felt ~32 ~100

Timmers et al. (2010)

Glyceria maxima Anolyte of acetate fed MFC Graphite granules

Oxygen Graphite felt ~25 ~80

Timmers et al. (2012)

Oryza sativa ssp. indica

Naturally occurring microorganisms in soil

Carbon fibre 100 mM potassium ferricyanide

S/S ~3.1 ~9

Bombelli et al. (2013)

*standard error

Target: 32 mW m-2

Summary of “Plant Power” and Rice’s device

Vascular Plant Source of anodic microorganisms

Anode material Cathodic electron terminal

Cathode material Maximum power output (GJ ha-1 y-1)

mW m-2

Refer~1.5 ence

Oryza sativa L. cultivar Jiahua No.1

Naturally occurring microorganisms in soil

Graphite mat Oxygen Graphite mat ~0.4 ~1.5

Chen et al. (2012)

Oryza sativa ssp. indica

Effluent of MFC reactor and methanogenic culture

Graphite mat 100 mM potassium ferricyanide or oxygen

Graphite mat or graphite granules

~9 ~33

De Schamphelaire et al. (2008)

Arundinella anomala

Naturally occurring microorganisms in soil

Graphite grains 50 mM potassium ferricyanide or oxygen

Graphite felt ~7 ~22

Helder et al. (2010)

Spartina anglica Naturally occurring microorganisms in soil

Graphite grains 50 mM potassium ferricyanide or oxygen

Graphite felt ~70 ~220

Helder et al. (2010)

Spartina anglica Naturally occurring microorganisms in soil

Graphite felt 50 mM potassium ferricyanide

Flow-through cathode

~67 ~212

Helder et al. (2012)

Lemna minuta Naturally occurring microorganisms in soil

Carbon felt Oxygen Graphite granules ~120 ~380

Hubenova and Mitov (2012)

Oryza sativa L. cv. Sasanishiki

Naturally occurring microorganisms in soil

Graphite felt Oxygen Graphite felt ~2 ~6.5

Kaku et al. (2008)

Glyceria maxima Effluent of MFC running on acetate

Graphite felt and granules

Oxygen Graphite felt ~21 ~67

Strik et al. (2008)

Oryza sativa L. cv. Satojiman

Naturally occurring microorganisms in soil

Graphite felt Oxygen Graphite felt (with platinum catalyst)

~5 ~16

Takanezawa et al. (2010)

Spartina anglica Anolyte of acetate fed MFC Graphite granules

50 mM potassium ferricyanide or oxygen

Graphite felt ~32 ~100

Timmers et al. (2010)

Glyceria maxima Anolyte of acetate fed MFC Graphite granules

Oxygen Graphite felt ~25 ~80

Timmers et al. (2012)

Oryza sativa ssp. indica

Naturally occurring microorganisms in soil

Carbon fibre 100 mM potassium ferricyanide

S/S ~3.1 ~9

Bombelli et al. (2013)

*standard error

Target: 32 mW m-2 Average power output : 30.1±10.7* GJ ha-1 y-1 – 96 ±34* mW m-2 (n=12)

Wei Li at al. 2013 - EES

Wastewater treatment by using bio-electrochemistry (MFC)

Potential benefits of bio electricity for energy, environmental, operational and economic sustainability

Generating electricity while cleaning water

Wastewater treatment by using bio electrochemistry (MFC)

Wei Li at al. 2013 - EES

Schematic diagram of an air-breathing cathode EMBR for wastewater treatment

Generating electricity while cleaning water