Cambio de escala en combustibles procedentes de microalgas: aspectos económicos y medioambientales

© D.Technology Repsol, April 2010

Scaling up algae fuels: economic and environmental issues

Enrique Espí

Repsol Technology Center

Madrid, April 08, 2010


Summary

Introduction

Pros & cons of algae for bioenergy

Repsol’s R&D activities on microalgae

Strains selection

FBR optimization

Next developments

Economic issues

Environmental issues

© Repsol D. Technology, June 2009

Introduction:pros & cons of algae for bioenergy


High yield ¿up to 1000 t/ha·year?

Capture CO2

Don’t consume water

Don’t contaminate soils or aquifers

Continuous harvesting

Positive energy balance

Don’t need pesticides

High-value products

Pros


Cons

Large-scale productivity do not

surpass 100 t/ha·year

Cost between 2 and 20 €/kg biomass

Lipids not always suitable for

biodiesel

Energy balance: 1-2 energy return

on energy invested

GHG balance negative if synthetic

fertilizers and pure CO2 are used




R&D lines on microalgae

Basic biochemistry: deep understanding of algae metabolism for

lipids or other added-value molecules synthesis.

Species selection: isolation and characterization of species and

varieties with high biomass, lipids or other molecules productitvity.

Methabolic engineering: genetic (or other route) modification of

natural species for increasing their biomass, lipids or other

molecules productivity.

Growing systems: development, optimization and scale-up of open

(raceways) or closed (FBRs) systems including design, materials,

management, nutrients, CO2 enrichment, etc.

Downstream processing: physical (harvesting, drying, extraction,

etc.) and chemical processing of algae biomass.

… for

Biomass (heat, electricity and CO2 capture)

Lipids (biofuels…)

High-value products (omega-3, proteins, lutein…)



www.piibe.com

(2006-2009)

www.cenit-sostco2.com

(2008-2011)

New project

(2010-2011)

Projects

Plan E Microalgae

PIIBEProyecto de investigación para el Impulso del Biodiesel en España

Sost-CO2Nuevas utilizaciones sostenibles del CO2

Associations &Technology Platforms

http://www.piibe.com/

http://www.cenit-sostco2.com/



http://www.biofuelstp.eu/index.html




Cenit PIIBE objectives and results

Method for selecting microalgae strains

Result: flow cytometry method developped

and optimised for lipogenic microalgae

selection

Selection and isolation of a high lipids-producing

strain

Result: one strain registered (T. repsoliensis)

Optimization of a vertical tubular photobioreactor

(design, management, CDF…)

Result: patent application issued

Development of an anti-biofouling cheap plastic

material for FBRs

Results: preliminar positive results

PIIBEProyecto de investigación para el Impulso del Biodiesel en España


Cenit PIIBE results: strains selection

Hundreds of wild algae strains

collected, selected and isolated

using flow cytometry.


Lipid yield (t/ha·year)

Soya 0,4

Sunflower 0,8

Rape 1

Olive 1

Jatropha 1,5

Avocado 2,2

Coconut 2,2

Palm 5

Very interesting results at lab-scale, but scale-up is still needed


Lipid production of wild strains.



Lipid content optimization

using flow cytometry & sorting.


Optimizing FBRs design using

Computational Fluid Dynamics

(CFD): shape, stirring, light

distribution, etc.

6 rpm 12 rpm 18 rpm

Cenit PIIBE results: FBR optimization

PCT/ES2010/070132 patent



FBR farm optimization


Optical properties: Repsol is applying

its experience with plastics for

greenhouse covers to FBR materials:

Ultraviolet transmission (UV).

Near infrared transmission (NIR).

Middle infrared transmission (MIR).

Luminescence (UV-VIS, VIS-VIS).


Materials for FBRs.



Materials for FBRs.

Surface properties: Repsol is using

its experience managing chemical

and physical surface properties of

plastics to develop antifouling

FBRs.

70% 5%


Heat, electricity and CO2

Some figures:

Algae growing for CO2 capture and direct energy production (heat

and electricity) has all the advantages and less technical

uncertenties (fuel quality, compatibility with fossil fuels, etc.) than

their use for biofuels

180 t

CO2

100 t

biomass

20 t

lipids


Cenit Sost-CO2 objectives

Selection of a high biomass-producing

microalgae strain

Selection and optimization of different

growing systems, including open ponds,

vertical and flat pipes, flexible bags…

Scale-up these systems.

Sost-CO2Nuevas utilizaciones sostenibles del CO2

www.cenit-sostco2.com

www.repsol.com


Plan E Microalgae objectives

Effect of different refinery flue gases and

wastewaters on algae growing

Downstream processing (harvesting, de-

watering, extraction…) of algae biomass

Plan E Microalgae


Future developments


Economic issues

Source: Proviron

Present price of algae fuels: 2 to 20 €/l

Present price of other biofuels: 0.5 to 1 €/l


Economic issues

Pathway for cuting down costs:

To increase productivity:

• high productivity algae strains (GM?)

• high productivity photobioreactors

To cut down investments:

• low-cost photobioreactors (all-plastic)

• harvesting methods alternative to centrifugation

• extraction methods alternative to solvent extraction

To cut down operating costs:

• personnel costs (automation)

• energy costs (farming, harvesting, extraction)

• water, nutrients and CO2 costs


Environmental issues

Energy and GHG balances highly

dependent on the nutrients and CO2

supplies.

Focus on:

Wastewaters vs. Chemical nutrients

Flue gas vs. Pure CO2

Source: Environ. Sci. Technol. 2010, 44, 1813-1819


Thank you for your attention

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Cambio de escala en combustibles procedentes de microalgas: aspectos económicos y medioambientales

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