Current Status and Future Program of Microalgae for Biofuel Production at TISTR, Thailand Aparat Mahakhant Bioscience Department Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR) E-mail: [email protected]

Contents ¾ Introduction to Algae ¾ Algae as New Renewable Energy

(NRE) Feedstocks ¾ Current R&D on Biofuel from Algae at TISTR ¾ Future Program

Introduction to Algae

What are Algae ? ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾

Large, heterogeneous, polyphyletic Lack differentiated root, stem, leave Chlorophyll a- common 1o pigment Photoautotroph (CO2-fixation, O2 evolution ) N & P uptake storage starch, oil etc. Terrestrial-aquatic (fresh/brackish/ marine) Size 10-12 m (pico) to >10 m (seaweed)

This presentation focuses on “Microalgae”

Energy from Algae: History ¾

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100 yr ago, oil-producing GA, Botryococcus braunii in Australiacollected & used as fuel Microalgae biofuel was mentioned over 50 yr at MIT-R&D program for algae biomass culture technology (Burlew, 1953)

Botryococcus bloom

oil droplet

Algae as NRE Feedstocks

Why Algae? ¾ High productivity: mass, starch, oil etc.

-batch/semi continuous/continuous culture -shorter time of growing/harvesting ¾ High biodiversity:10 divisions (selection) ¾ Smaller foot print & non-arable land ¾ Various kind of water (fresh/brackish/sea/waste)

Why Algae? ¾ Co-products: protein, pigment, biomass

food/feed/fertilizer etc. ¾ Co-processes: utilization of waste flue-gas CO2-fixation waste water eutrophication N, P uptake 3otreatment ¾ Food security: food crop vs. energy crop

Why Algae? Advantages of Microalgal Mass Cultivation Inexpensive & intensive cultivation systems e.g. race-way pond (opt. ot & light intensity -tropical zone all year round) ¾ Algal mass production can be 50X more productive than traditional crops ¾ C-credit-economic driver CO2-fixing rate: -microalgae 11-18 Ct/ha/yr -forest 1.1-2.5 Ct/ha/yr ¾

Microalgal Biodiesel Production Sources Soy bean Sun flower Canola Jatropha Palm oil Microalgae

Yields* (gallon/ac-yr) 50 100

Current productn (barrel/yr) >10,000,000 >1,000,000

160 200

>10,000,000 ? Some, not much

600 2,000 to ?

>10,000,000 ~0.1

*Microalgae yields projected for mid to long-term R&D, other currently achieved commercial yields (Source: Beneman, 2007)

Microalgal Oil Production Oil production (bbl/ac/yr)

Required area (acre)

Soy bean

1.14

8,736,000

Rape seed

3.02

3,298,000

Plant feedstock

Oil palm Microalgae Sources: Huntley, 2007

15.1

660,000

175.0

57,200

Opportunity from E-W Perspectives: Biofuel from Algae using Non-Freshwater Sources

Co-processes Impaired Water

Algae-Based Production of Biofuels, Co products, & Service w/ Impaired Waters

(photoautotrophic)

Algae Production Systems

- brackish groundwater - produced water

Sunlight

Ponds, PBRs*, Hybrid Systems+

- desalination concentrate

Organic Carbon

- wastewater

(heterotrophic)

- Industrial wastewater - Municipal wastewater

O2

- Geothermal water & heat Waste CO2 & Heat - Electric power generation

Biofixation

- Industrial processing

Biomass Harvesting

- Wastewater treatment - Desalination

Co-Products - feeds - fertilizers - biopolymers - glycerin - others

of CO2

Reclaimed Processing

Water - Nutrient removal

Biofuels

*PBRs = PhotoBioReactors

- biodiesel

- biogas

+ Hybrid Systems = Ponds + PBRs

- bioethanol

- H2

How Algae Become the Promising Sources for Biofuel Production? XAlgal strain with high oil (biodiesel) or high starch (bioethanol)

Y Algal strain with fast growing rate Z Algal strain growing in waste (CO2, water)

Current R&D on Biofuels from Algae at TISTR

Algal Collection & Cultivation System at TISTR ACC at TISTR ~ 1,000 strains

TISTR Algal Culture Collection (ACC) • 1,000 strains (BGA & GA) •Previous technology transferred (food, biofertilizer & soil conditioner) TISTR Cultivation System

50-500 mL

1-2 L

5,000-10,000 L

10-20 L

20-80 L

TISTR Perspectives on Algae R & D Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) ex situ conversion & sustainable utilization of algal strains ¾ Convention on Climate Change (CCC) CO2 fixation/wastewater treatment (CDM)/biofuel ¾ Convention to Combat Desertification Soil conditioner/biofertilizer ¾

Research: In-house-Contract-Grant

Bioethanol Production (in-house) Selection process ¾ Two high starch-producing strains (Hapalosiphon, Nostoc) ¾ Starch 26-30% (dw) Outdoor cultivation (Hapalosiphon) ¾ Stable at 10,000 L (50 m2 race-way pond) ¾ Biomass productivity 2.3 g/m2/d ¾ Increasing of productivity is investigated (inoculum size, medium etc.) ¾ R&D on bioethanol production by Dept. of Energy Tech. (DET), TISTR from >250 kg (fw)

Biodiesel Production (in-house) Selection process ¾ One high oil-producing strains (Nostoc) ¾

Oil ~30%

Outdoor cultivation (Nostoc) ¾ Stable at 700L (agitated pond) ¾ Biomass productivity 2.0 g/m2/d ¾ Scaling up at 5,000L (25 m2 race-way pond) is investigated ¾ R&D on biodiesel production by DET, TISTR from fresh-lyophilized-hot oven dry biomass

Utilization of Waste (Contract Research) Screening of algal strains ¾ TISTR-PTT Public Co. Ltd. CO2 - ethanol production plant ¾ TISTR-Mitr Phol Sugarcane Research Center Co. Ltd. wastewater-Mitr Phol Park (sugar & ethanol production plants) ¾ TISTR-Papop Co. Ltd wastewater-cassava flour production plant

CO2-fixation (TISTR-PTT) Selection process ¾

Selected 6/88 strains (GA 1, BGA 5 strains)

20L flat-plate PBR ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾

CO2 conc. 10-15% ↑Biomass 1.5-3.6 times C-content 40-44% Oil 11-20% (↑ CO2 oil↑) Starch 13-20% Protein 41-50% Applications: biofertilizer, soil conditioner, animal feed

Wastewater (TISTR-Mitr Phol) Selection process (Without dilution of wastewater) ¾ Selected 2/132 strains (BGA 2 strains)

20L flat-plate PBR C-content 37-39% ¾ Oil 11-17% ¾ Starch 9-12% ¾ Protein 40% ¾ Applications: animal feed, 3O treatment (N, P reduction & clarity) ¾

Wastewater (TISTR-Papop) Outdoor screening & cultivation (Without dilution of wastewater) ¾ Selected 6/132 strains (BGA 6 strains)

20L flat-plate PBR C-content 36-38% ¾ Oil 9-21% ¾ Starch 2-7% ¾ Protein 37-48% ¾ Applications: animal feed, pigment, 3O treatment (clarity) ¾

Conclusions (current status) In-house Research ¾

Selected strains -Oil 1 strain (Nostoc) -Starch 2 strains (Nostoc, Hapalosiphon) (screening process still carrying on) ¾ Engineering processes (down streams) for bioethanol & biodiesel production are available ¾ R&D on ethanol & biodiesel from algal biomass of selected strains are under investigated

Contract Research ¾

Non of selected strains from co-processes (CO2 & wastewater) showed potential on biofuel production

Future Program Thailand Network on Algae for Energy (TNAE) ¾ ¾

PTT-TISTR-BIOTEC-CU-KMUTT-MU Duration 7 yr (2010-2017)

PTT-TISTR ¾ R&D on production of oil from Botryococcus spp. (Phase I: 1.5 yr) ¾ R&D on screening & production of oil from extremophile algal strains (Phase I: 2 yr)

R&D on production of oil from Botryococcus spp. About Botryococcus ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾

Colony-forming green alga High oil producing strain (~70 %) Secretes oil droplet Very slow growth rate (td ~7 d) Easy to be overcome by other contaminated algal strains

Results from preliminary studies ¾ ¾

Optimal growth medium Outdoor flat-plate PBR -td = 4ds -duration >10 d -overcome by Chlorella

R&D on Screening & Production of Oil from Extremophile Algal Strains Extremophiles:

ACC at TISTR

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CO2-fixation (15%) ¾ Thermophilic =40oC (ACC) ≥70oC (hot spring) ¾ N2-fixation “Utilization of flue gas & reduction of contamination” Algal samples were collected from 21 hot springs-isolation & cultivation

Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR) 35 Mu 3 Khlong 5, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120, THAILAND Tel: (66) 2577 9198 Fax: (66) 2577 9197 http://www.tistr.or.th