Implementation of Algal Biofuel Todd Fox • Julie Steady • Anna Villaver Team France • 18 November 2015

What is Algal Biofuel? Alternative renewable energy source to fossil fuels1 Algae strains that are grown and harvested to be converted into energy fuel2 1 Yeang, Ken. (2008). Biofuel from Algae. 2 Lai, E. P. C. (2014). Biodiesel: Environmental Friendly Alternative to Petrodiesel. Infographic taken from the BioenergizeME Competition for the U.S. Department of Energy, http://frogsaregreen.org/tag/energy-bioenergizeme-infographic-challenge.

Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, is being cultivated for biofuel and is acknowledged by researchers as a promising platform for biofuel production. Photo from The Electrochemical Society, http://www.ecsblog.org/from-bacteria-to-biofuel/

History Bio Intelligent Quotient (BIQ) House in the German city of Hamburg1 This self-sustaining building makes use of both solar thermal and geothermal energy allowing it to be cooled and heated without burning any fossil fuels1 Photo from The Archictecture Student, http://www.thearchitecturalstudent.com/2014/08/biq-house.html 1 Yirka, Bob. (2013). First Algae Powered Building Goes up in Hamburg.

Algal Biofuel Production Grown in unusable agricultural lands, dark warehouses, the sea, open ponds, and algal turf scrubbers1 Pumps nutrient-rich water through bioreactors2 Infographic taken from Sopphire Energy, http://www.zebrapartners.net/sapphiremedia/corporate/ Sapphire%20Process%20diagram%20-%20video%20res.jpg 1 Alaswad, A., Dassisti M., Olabi, A. G., and Prescott, T. (2015). Technologies and Developments of Third Generation Biofuel Production. 2 Karsjen, Steve. (2015). From Green Slime to Green Fuel.

Algae is grown in a “bioreactor” at Purdue University for biodiesel production. Photo from Purdue University News Service, http://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/research/2010/100413MorganAlgae.html

Algae-Based Biofuel Progress Urban Algae Canopy for Expo Milano 2015’s Future Food District1 Future plans1 for a larger installation: as much oxygen as four hectares of woodland 150 kg of biomass Government agencies and several companies invested in making algae biofuel commercially viable2 Photo from http://www.gizmag.com/urban-algae-canopy-milan-expo/374 80/pictures#1 1 Blain, Loz. (2015). Urban Algae Canopy. 2 Demirbas, M. Fatih. (2011). Biofuels from Algae for Sustainable Development.

Urban Algae Canopy by ecoLogicStudio in Milan This is the world’s first bio-digital canopy that integrates micro-algal cultures. Photo from Domus, http://www.domusweb.it/en/news/2014/04/30/urban_algae_canopy.html

Algal Biofuel Over Other Renewable Resources Algal Biofuel is not as expensive as other renewable resources2 EnergyFuel made from wind turbines is limited to the country whereas algae can be used directly in large metropolitan areas2 Claimed to yield between 10 and 100 times more fuel per unit area than other biofuels1 algae biofuel compared to other renewable resources algae is not as expensive as other renewable resources Photo from http://www.splitterwerk.at/database/main.php?mode=view& album=2012__The_Clever_Treefrog_2&pic=06_The_Clever_Treefrog_2. jpg&dispsize=512&start=0 1 Stone, Dan. (2012). National Geographic: Can Algae Power the Future? 2 Lai, E. P. C. (2014). Biodiesel: Environmental Friendly Alternative to Petrodiesel.

Algal Biofuel Feasibility: Pros Versatile renewable energy source; multi-use biofuel, feed and food1 Fast-growing biomass that can be harvested daily1 Agricultural compatibility2 Convenient Production/Growth Area2 No waste or pollution2 1 Karsjen, Steve. (2015). From Green Slime to Green Fuel. 2 Stone, Dan. (2012). National Geographic: Can Algae Power the Future? Photo from http://www.wynnnetworkassociates.com/wp-content/uploads/ 2015/07/Wynn-Network-Associates-Affordable-Care-Act-Obamacare-Pros-and-Cons.jpg

Algal Biofuel Feasibility: Challenges/Cons Costs $8 per gallon1 Harvesting algae on a commercial scale is not currently efficient2 Algae species must be carefully selected; some produce more oil than others due to a high lipid content3 Water evaporation issues depending on climate in an open system1 1 Stone, Dan. (2012). National Geographic: Can Algae Power the Future? 2 Karsjen, Steve. (2015). From Green Slime to Green Fuel. 3 Malik, Arunima, Lenzen, Manfred, Ralph, Peter J, Tamburic, Bojan. (2015) Hybrid Life-Cycle Assessment of Algal Biofuel Production. Photo from http://www.wynnnetworkassociates.com/wp-content/ uploads/2015/07/Wynn-Network-Associates-Affordable-Care-Act- Obamacar-Pros-and-Cons.jpg

Questions?

Works Cited (1) Alaswad, A., Dassisti M., Olabi, A. G., and Prescott, T. “Technologies and Developments of Third Generation Biofuel Production.” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 51 (2015): 1446-1460. Print. (2) Blain, Loz. "Urban Algae Canopy." Urban Algae Canopy. Gizmag, 12 May 2015. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. <http://www.gizmag.com/urban-algae-canopy-milan-expo/37480/>. (3) Demirbas, M. Fatih. "Biofuels from Algae for Sustainable Development." Applied Energy 88.10 (2011): 3473-480. WorldCat [OCLC]. Web. 2 Sept. 2015. (4) Karsjen, Steve. "From Green Slime to Green Fuel." From Green Slime to Green Fuel (n.d.): n. pag. Creating Materials and Energy Solutions. U.S. Department of Energy. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. (5) Lai, E. P. C. "Biodiesel: Environmental Friendly Alternative to Petrodiesel." J Pet Environ Biotechnol 5 (2014): e122. Print. (6) Malik, Arunima, Lenzen, Manfred, Ralph, Peter J, Tamburic, Bojan. “Hybrid Life-Cycle Assessment of Algal Biofuel Production.” Bioresource Technology 184 (2015): 436-443. Print. (7) Stone, Dan. "Can Algae Power the Future?" National Geographic. N.p., 29 Nov. 2012. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. (8) Yirka, Bob. "First Algae Powered Building Goes up in Hamburg." First Algae Powered Building Goes up in Hamburg. Phys.org, 12 Apr. 2013. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. (9) Yeang, Ken. "Biofuel from Algae." Architectural Design, 10 Apr. 2008. Web. 29 Sept. 2015. <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ad.689/abstract>.