What is

1
What is hot in bioenergy?
2
Agenda

• Feedstock
• Algae
• MSW
• Woody biomass
• Research areas
• Review

3
Background

• Uses for algae
• Nutrition
• Nori, dulse, kombu
• Supplements spirulina, chorella
• Cosmetics
• Fertilizer
• Pigments

4
Bioproducts

• Biodiesel
• Algae biodiesel has superior cold-weather
  properties
• Vegetable oil
• Bioethanol
• Butanol
• Methanol
• Hydrogen

5
Requirements

• Light
• CO2
• Water
• Inorganic nutrients
• Vary depending on algae
• Nitrates, phosphates, iron, trace elements

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Farming methods
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Photosynthetic surface area

• Surface area to volume ratio (SVR)
• Open (pond) system 3-4 m2/m3
• Closed system 70-100 m2/m3
• 3D matrix system 1500-2000 m2/m3
• Surfaces
• Polycarbonate (best)
• Acrylic
• Glass
• Polymer film

8
Process
Biodiesel
Extraction
Oil
Algae biomass production
CO2 Nutrients
Biomass recovery
Biomass
Bioethanol Animal feed
Water, nutrients
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Algae species

• Many different species can be used
• Different species for fresh or salt water
• Scenedesmus dimorphus
• High yield but needs constant agitation
• Botryococcus braunii
• Produces long chain hydrocarbons, up to 86 of
  weight
• Thought be responsible for fossil fuel deposits
• Chlorophyceae spp.
• Produce starch granules

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Productivity
NREL
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Challenges

• High yield photoefficiency
• As biomass increases light access is blocked
• Use small diameter tubes
• High capital costs
• Contamination by invasive species
• Water must be maintained at constant temp.
• Not enough CO2 in atmosphere for exponential
  growth

12
Disadvantages

• Transfers CO2 doesnt eliminate it
• Captured CO2 from coal plants is released by cars
• Could slow progression towards alternative energy
  sources which might reduce CO2 levels
• High water usage
• Nutrient sourcing

13
Production

• PetroSun Rio Hondo, Texas
• 1100 acres of saltwater ponds
• 4.4 million gallons oil/year
• 110 million pounds biomass/year
• Solix
• 0.4 acre pilot plant using CO2 from brewery
• Flexible plastic reactors 50x300 ft
• Predict 8000 gal/acre/year

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Players

• Greenfuel Technologies Corp.
• PetroSun
• Solix
• Algaelink
• Solazyme
• Valcent

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Conclusions

• Cost of alg-oil becoming more reasonable as oil
  prices rise
• Best constructed in tandem with a CO2 producer
• Promising piece of the puzzle for future
  transportation fuels

16
Converting Washington Lignocellulosic Urban
Waste to Ethanol
CelluloseDetector
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Objective

• Develop and assess processes to produce
  bioethanol from cellulosic urban waste
• Process Development
• Techno/economic analysis
• Life Cycle Assessment

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Municipal Solid Waste
Municipal Solid Waste
LOTS OF CELLULOSE
Synthetic Garbage
Yard Waste
Mixed Waste Paper
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Municipal solid waste (Part A)
1) Separation
Mixed Waste Paper
Yard waste
Synthetic garbage
2) Pretreatment
Acid hydrolysis
Steam explosion 210C, 10 min, 3SO2
Acid hydrolysis
Acid hydrolysis
3) Enzymatic hydrolysis Cellulose to glucose
86 Xylan to xylose 62
3) Enzymatic hydrolysis Cellulose to glucose
41 Xylan to xylose 36
3) Enzymatic hydrolysis Cellulose to glucose
89 Xylan to xylose 87
3) Enzymatic hydrolysis
4) Fermentation
4) Fermentation
4) Fermentation
4) Fermentation
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Enzymatic hydrolysis (MSW)
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Woody biomass

• Grows slow
• Difficult to break down and fractionate compared
  to agricultural biomass
• How much can we take out of the forest?
• Forest thinning
• Forest fires
• Ecosystem
• How caw we collect it?
• Competition from pulp and paper industry

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Research areas (1)

• Pretreatment
• Hydrolysis
• Fermentation
• Co-products

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Research areas (2)

• Techno-economical analysis
• Life cycle analysis (LCA)
• Infrastructure
• Bioethanol, biodiesel, biobutanol as new fuels
  for engines
• New biofuels
• What else?

24
Review