Growing Algae for Biofuel and Animal Feed

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Growing Algae for Biofuel and Animal Feed

• A presentation of the project AGEPS Algae
  Green Energy Power Source

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Biofuel

• Fuel derived from biological material
• CO2 neutral (or at least nearly so)
• 1st generation
• 2nd generation
• Beyond 2nd generation

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1st generation biofuel

• Made from sugar, starch, oils, fats
• Using conventional technology
• Direct use of oils
• Transesterification
• Fermentation
• Source often seeds or grain

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Problems

• Taking up arable land, that could be used for
  food production
• Diverting food away from the human food chain
• Food shortages
• Rising prices
• May use fertilizer and pesticides in the
  production

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2nd generation biofuel

• Made from non-food crops, waste biomass etc.
• Utilizing cellulosic ethanol production
• Does not divert food away from the human food
  chain

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Problems

• Production of ethanol from cellulose not
  tecnically straightforward
• May still compete for arable land with food
  production if based on crops grown for fuel

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3rd generation biofuel

• Enter the algae!
• Several possibilities, including micro- and
  macroalgae (seaweeds)
• We propose to use marine microalgae

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Marine microalgae

• They are small µm (micrometers, 1/1000
  millimeter)
• They grow fast may double their biomass several
  times per day
• They can attain high densities millions of
  cells per milliliter

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Advantages of using algae

• Very high yields
• 180 Mton oil/ha/year, compared to 1.2
  Mton/ha/year for rape seed
• Uses 1st generation technology (transesterificatio
  n) for biofuel production
• No diversion of food from the human food chain
• No competition for arable land

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High yield

• The productivity of algae is 100 times higher
  than that of rape seed

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Efficient

• Algae production use 99 less water than
  conventional agriculture

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Efficient

• Although algae use more nutrient per unit
  biomass, they are still far more efficient than
  conventional crops

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Scaleability

• Oil production from algae can be infinitely scaled

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More advantages of using algae

• The use of marine microalgae means no need for or
  pollution of potable water
• No need for pesticides
• Necessary nutrients can come from sewage,
  cleansing it in the process
• The by-product, algal cake, can be used for
  cattle fodder

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CO2
O2
Harvested algae
Water return
Algal oil
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Main deliverables of the project

• Finding the right species of algae
• High growth capacity
• Ability to attain high densities
• High oil content
• For different climates

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Deliverables

• Developing an algal production system, using
  ultrasonic algal harvesting technology that fit
  standard ponds

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Deliverables

• Cold algal pressing and cake production
• Evaluation of algal cake as animal fodder
• Omega 3 fatty acid content
• Effect on animal product quality
• Storage

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• More information nielsen_at_ruc.dk