Chinese - Finnish energy-seminar, Beijing September 7, 2009
Jukka Seppälä: Algae for biodiesel production
Algae for biodiesel production Jukka Seppälä * Timo Tamminen Kristian Spilling Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)
www.environment.fi/syke
Heiko Rischer Kirsi-Marja Oksman Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) *
[email protected]
www.vtt.fi
Chinese - Finnish energy-seminar, Beijing September 7, 2009
Jukka Seppälä: Algae for biodiesel production
Phytoplankton algae Unicellular or filamentous Aquatic Photosynthetic Size: 0.5-100µm >50000 species Genetic & physiological diversity
Growth requirements CO2, N, P, (Si), micronutrients Light
Compared to higher plants 20 µm
Photos: © Kristian Spilling
Minimal amount of structural components Fast growing
Chinese - Finnish energy-seminar, Beijing September 7, 2009
Jukka Seppälä: Algae for biodiesel production
Economic applications of algae Human and animal nutrition Food source for aquaculture Chemical production Medical and cosmetic applications Biofertilizing in rice fields Wastewater treatment Energy production
Aquatic Species Program (ASP) USA, 1978-1996 Focus on open algal cultivation systems for bio-diesel
Research for Innovative Technology of the Earth program (RITE) Japan, 1990-2000 Focus on closed photobioreactors, CO2 mitigation and higher value products
After 2000, renewed focus
Chinese - Finnish energy-seminar, Beijing September 7, 2009
Jukka Seppälä: Algae for biodiesel production
Greenwashing / A pipe dream / Realistic alternative ? Technical, Economical, Ecological & Ethical Feasibility ?
Chinese - Finnish energy-seminar, Beijing September 7, 2009
Jukka Seppälä: Algae for biodiesel production
Why algae for biodiesel production ? High productivity of algae (up to 20-70 g Dry weight m-2 day-1). High lipid content of algae (up to 30-50% (-80%) of Dry weight). Algae low prod. (10 g m-2 day-1 & 30% lipids) Algae high prod. (50 g m-2 day-1 & 50% lipids) (1) Can be grown on marginal land (2) Can be situated on non-arable land Redrawn from Schenk et al. Bioenerg. Res 2008
Chinese - Finnish energy-seminar, Beijing September 7, 2009
Algae biomass production
Algae biomass harvesting
Growing algae in large scale
Jukka Seppälä: Algae for biodiesel production
Biodiesel production www.seambiotic.comc
Open ponds: Outdoors, exposed to sunlight No temperature control Economical Water depth approx. 20 cm Evaporation losses Contamination by unwanted species
Closed photobioreactors: More expensive Transparent tubes, diameter approx. 10 cm Better utilization of solar energy i.e. higher productivity Control of CO2 , O2 and nutrients needed May require temperature control
Schenk et al. Bioenerg. Res 2008
Chinese - Finnish energy-seminar, Beijing September 7, 2009
Algae biomass harvesting
Biodiesel production
CO2
WATER
NUTRIENTS
LIGHT
Algae biomass production
Jukka Seppälä: Algae for biodiesel production
Possibilities to utilize CO2 emissions No fresh water required
May be coupled to waste-water streams Light is required for photosynthesis, but light inhibition may occur www.seambiotic.comc at surface, while too low light prevails in few cm below surface
Chinese - Finnish energy-seminar, Beijing September 7, 2009
Algae biomass production
Jukka Seppälä: Algae for biodiesel production
Algae biomass harvesting
Biodiesel production
Selection of species/strains, optimization of lipid yield Screening of potential candidates: Growth rates, cultivability Lipid yields and profiles Side-products
Triggers for lipid production Nutrient limitation Light, CO2, etc.
Chinese - Finnish energy-seminar, Beijing September 7, 2009
Algae biomass production
Algae biomass harvesting
Jukka Seppälä: Algae for biodiesel production
Biodiesel production
Selection of species/strains, optimization of lipid yield Our focus on cold & brackish water species Baltic, cold water species (+4°C)
60 Synechococcus sp. (Cyanobacteria) Nodularia spumigena (Cyanobacteria) Chlamydomonas sp. (µ=0.55; FA=16% ) 50 Pavlova lutheri (Haptophyta) +4 C, T. sp. baltica (µ=0.58; FA=26% ) Chlamydomonas (Chlorophyta) 40 Monoraphidium contortum (Chlorophyta) Isochrysis (µ=0.65; FA=23%) 30 Chlorella sp. (Chlorophyta) Isochrysis sp. (Haptophyta) Thalassiosira pseudonana (µ=0.69; FA=23% ) 20 Thalassiosira pseudonana (Diatom) Scenedesmus (Chlorophyta) +4 C,sp. Chaetoceros sp (µ=0.45; FA=27% ) 10 Phaeodactylum tricornutum (Diatom)
Gymnodinium sp. (Dinophyta) MODEL: -Scrippsiella Only exponential growth (Dinophyta) hangoei - Start: 1 g DW at day 1
Lipid yield (g)
yield = f (growth rate, lipid %) Baltic,Lipid warm water species (+18°C)
0 0
1
2
3
4
Pauliella taeniata (Diatom) Thalassiosira baltica (Diatom) Skeletonema costatum (Diatom) Melosira arctica (Diatom) Chaetoceros wighamii (Diatom)
Marine species (+18°C)
Phaeodactylum tricornutum (Diatom) Thalassiosira pseudonana (Diatom) 5 6 7 8 9 10 Isochrysis sp. (Haptophyta) Days of growth Dunaliella salina (Chlorophyta)
Chinese - Finnish energy-seminar, Beijing September 7, 2009
Algae biomass production
Jukka Seppälä: Algae for biodiesel production
Algae biomass harvesting
Biodiesel production
Dewatering culture broth is challenging and costly. Traditional nets / screens not suitable due to clogging Sentrifugation can be done at large scale but consumes lots of energy Flocculation may be induced using pH or chemicals Drying assisted by gravity and capillary forces
www.algaevs.com Spilling, Seppälä, Tamminen, submitted
Chinese - Finnish energy-seminar, Beijing September 7, 2009
Algae biomass production
Jukka Seppälä: Algae for biodiesel production
Algae biomass harvesting
Lipid extraction and transesterification Mechanical crushing & electroporation Chemical solvents needed
Side products Animal feed ? Biogas ? Fertilizer ? Nutrient recycling (Si for diatoms) ? Other products ?
Biodiesel production
Chinese - Finnish energy-seminar, Beijing September 7, 2009
Algae biomass production
Jukka Seppälä: Algae for biodiesel production
Algae biomass harvesting
Biodiesel production
Production costs ? At petroleum price $100/ barrel algae (with 55% oil content) needs to be produced at less than $340 ton-1. Current price is around $3000 ton-1. Chisti 2008
However, algal biodiesel is the only renewable biodiesel that has the potential to completely displace liquid transport fuels derived from petroleum. (Chisti 2008)
Chinese - Finnish energy-seminar, Beijing September 7, 2009
Jukka Seppälä: Algae for biodiesel production
Algae for biofuel, SYKE & VTT projects Projects: ALGIESEL (SA, 2011) LIPIDO (SA, 2010) MICROFUEL (Tekes, 2009)
Overall aim: Investigate the potential of microalgae as a raw material for biofuel Targeted through investigations of:
* Sp. selection * Lipid profile
* Growth control and yield
* Harvesting * Biomass handling
Chinese - Finnish energy-seminar, Beijing September 7, 2009
Jukka Seppälä: Algae for biodiesel production
Thank You – Kiitos –
