Algae: Pond Powered Biofuels

1
Algae Pond Powered Biofuels

• Michael E. Webber, Ph.D.November 19, 2008
• http//www.webberenergygroup.com

2
The Energy Problem Is Comprised of Three
Converging Crises

• Three energy crises
• Climate Change
• Resource Depletion
• National Security Violent Extremism
• All three are related to and amplify each other

3
Prominent Media Attention to Oil Has Raised
Questions About Resource Depletion, Costs, and
Reliability of Supplies
May 2005
October 2003
June 2004
August 2005
4
The Oil Crises in the 1970s caused long lines
for gasoline
1973 Arab oil embargo
1979 Iranian Revolution
The oil weapon is used by producing nations to
inflict economic pain on consuming nations
5
Gas weapon still works in some countries

• Gas is a regional commodity because pipelines are
  land-based
• Russia has cut off gas supplies to Europe on
  multiple occasions
• It is not possible to rapidly replace gas
  supplies
• LNG terminals cost billions of dollars and years
  to build

6
Recent CO2 increases are well documented
Source National Academy of Sciences
7
Popular resistance to climate change has softened
significantly since Katrina

• According to a poll for the BBC, 59 of Americans
  want action on climate change

8
The USA Must Balance Three Priorities While
Addressing the Energy Problem
National Security
Economics Supply
Environment
Most options for new fuels or technologies solve
any one or two priorities, but not all three
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Defining the Critical Technologies

• Which technologies allow us to either
• develop domestic resources (coal, wind, solar),
  or
• import energy from friendly nations
• without causing environmental problems, or
  running into supply shortages
• Which technologies can bridge the gaps and enable
  win-win solutions?
• Next-generation biofuels.algae!

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Biofuels Are Politically Favored, but
First-Generation Biofuels Are Problematic

• Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA 2007)
• requires 36 Bgal/yr of biofuels by 2022
• Common domestic sources
• Corn and soy
• Irrigated biofuels are VERY water intensive
• Soil runoff
• Energy intensive

11
Algae Offers Hope For An Abundant, Domestic Fuel
With Lower Lifecycle Carbon Emissions

• CO2 H2O sunlight gives algae
• Much more productive per acre than palm oil
• Works with brackish or saline water
• Doesnt compete with food

Carbon capture with algae in Arizona National
Geographic, October 2007
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Algae Makes High Quality Fuels and Products

• Algae is the original source of petroleum (from
  tens to hundreds of millions of years ago)
• Algae is comprised of 0-77 oils by mass
• Those oils can be refined into higher-value
  products and fuels
• Consequently Algae is attracting significant
  amounts of private investment to kickstart the
  industry

13
Good News/Bad News Algae Grows Whether You Want
It To or Not
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Algae Warmer Oceans Can be Used to Reduce CO2
in the Atmosphere
Seeding the ocean with iron filings to spur algae
growth
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Texas is The Nations Leading Energy Consumer and
CO2 Emitter

• Texans use 60 more energy per capita than
  average Americans
• 11.5 of U.S. carbon emissions
• 2.5 of Global carbon emissions
• If Texas were a nation, its emissions would be
  7th in the world

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Texas CO2 Emissions Are Primarily From Industrial
Sources
Source Webber, et al. (2008)
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Texas Has Great Solar Resources
3.5 to 7.0 kWh/m2-day
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Texas Has Great Water Resources
Major Aquifers
Minor Aquifers
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Texas Also Has Great Wastewater Resources

• Algae can be used to clean up wastewater

Source TCEQ
Wastewater Treatment Plants in Texas
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UT Has A Great Collection of Pondscum Experts
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The central component of algal research
facilities at The University of Texas At Austin
is the Culture Collection of Algae (UTEX)
From Jerry Brand
UTEX has been continuously supported by the NSF
since the 1960s
The NationalScience Foundation
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The UTEX Culture Collection of Algae may bethe
largest and most diverse collectionof living of
algae in the world
From Jerry Brand
More than 3000 species
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Center for Electromechanics (CEM)

• Developed a proprietary technology to break algal
  cells to release oil and other useful products

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Process Science and Technology Center

• Center for separations research provide low cost
  alternatives in purifying algal oil from
  impurities.

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Environmental Water Resources Engineering

• Working with Sunrise Ridge Algae and Austin Water
  Utility to grow algae in pilot scale reactors.

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Texas Can Leapfrog The Nation In the Production
of Advanced Biofuels

• Legislative session begins January 2009
• Major energy legislation under consideration
• UT Preparing assessment of potential for biofuels
  from algae in Texas (Wogan, Da Silva, Webber)
• Overlay geographic information on
• CO2
• water wastewater
• sunlight
• pipelines

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A New Patriotic Vision for Energy in America

• Old vision
• Amber waves of grain
• New vision
• Algae ponds of green

Source David Wogan
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• Michael E. Webber, Ph.D. Associate
  DirectorCenter for International Energy
  Environmental PolicyJackson School of
  GeosciencesAssistant ProfessorThermal Fluids
  Area, Mechanical EngineeringCockrell School of
  EngineeringFellowStrauss Center for
  International Security LawLBJ School of Public
  Affairs
• webber_at_mail.utexas.edu

http//www.webberenergygroup.com