Feasibility Study of a Proposed Agrobusiness Solution for the Veenkoloniën Area commissioned by Froukje de Boer, Xiangming Chen, Victoria Naipal, Hanna Rövenich, Bart van Stratum Haregot Haile Zerom
Introduction Introduction - Basin - Energy - Algae - Integration - Conclusion Future Veenkoloniën: climate change, intensifying irrigation Expected water shortage for irrigation (technical) feasibility? Proposed solution: water storage basins Loss of agricultural area: compensate loss of income Creation water storage Solar energy Algae cultivation
Methods Three individual concepts => three working groups 1) Individual study subjects 2) Integration + +=.... Introduction - Basin - Energy - Algae - Integration - Conclusion
Water Basins
Future water demand: 100M m 3 (now) => 175M m 3 (future) Storage: regional vs local Study area: farm with 100 hectare of land Per m 2 of agricultural land: 74 mm Total storage: 55,000 m 3 Determining the basin dimensions: Depth determines area needed Per m 2 of basin: precipitation, evaporation, seepage Introduction - Basin - Energy - Algae - Integration - Conclusion
Water Basins evaporationprecipitation leakage Depth:1.5 m2.0 m Storage:72,700 m 3 67,600 m 3 Area:4.9 ha3.5 ha Volume at 1st of April sufficient to supply 74 mm of irrigation irrigation ditch basin Introduction - Basin - Energy - Algae - Integration - Conclusion
Solar Energy
Solar Energy: Construction sensitive to movements Inefficient for the Netherlands best solution Photovoltaic (PV) cells: best solution for Veenkoloniën Mounting: fixed vs floating Floating: least expensive, but allows movement Introduction - Basin - Energy - Algae - Integration - Conclusion
Solar Energy: Economics Small scale (<15 kWp) Individual scale: ~100 m 2 Economically profitable Payback time: ~10 years Large scale (>15 kWp) Large scale: ~1,000-10,000 m 2 Economically balanced Uncertainty depending on subsidies (SDE) Use partly for own energy need Sell excess to electricity grid Introduction - Basin - Energy - Algae - Integration - Conclusion
Algae Cultivation
Why algae? Environmentally friendly (CO 2 neutral) Biofuels, feed and food, electricity (H 2 ), cosmetics, bio-plastics,... (-) Contamination (-) Difficult to control growth parameters (-) Light conditions non- homogeneous (+) Controlled conditions (+) Easy to scale up (-) Small surface (+) Highest productivity (+) Controlled conditions (+) Optimal light impact Introduction - Basin - Energy - Algae - Integration - Conclusion
Algae Species Species: Neochloris oleoabundans High oil content (up to 40% under nutrient starvation conditions) Biomass areal productivity: 16.5 g/m 2 /day Fresh water organism Can grow in wastewater and on waste CO 2 Introduction - Basin - Energy - Algae - Integration - Conclusion
Algae Application Dimensions: 4,444 reactors/ha 110 L/reactor 16.5 g/m 2 /day → ~70,000 kg/ha/yr Biomass composition: 40% lipids 50% proteins 10% carbohydrates Price: 1.65 €/kg Production cost: 0.5 €/kg* Introduction - Basin - Energy - Algae - Integration - Conclusion
Integration
irrigation reduce evaporation water pumping cooling PV electricity biomass Integration electricity (external) CO 2 wastewater
Integration #2 Floating greenhouse => reduction of evaporation controlled environment biogas installation biomassCO 2 waste water starch industry m height
Conclusions Water storage: technically feasible, economic feasibility uncertain Solar energy: Technically feasible Economic feasibility: depending on scale and subsidy Algae: technically feasible, economic feasibility uncertain Integration: creates technically feasible, energy-neutral system Economic feasibility needs further study Questions? Introduction - Basin - Energy - Algae - Integration - Conclusion