Grant Agreement number:

Grant Agreement number: 286013 Project acronym: SOLALGEN Project title: Hybrid Algae Cultivation System Based on Conditioned Environment with Effici...
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Grant Agreement number: 286013 Project acronym:

SOLALGEN

Project title: Hybrid Algae Cultivation System Based on Conditioned Environment with Efficient Light Collection and Distribution System Funding Scheme: FP7-SME-2011-1 Date of latest version of Annex I against which the assessment will be made: Periodic report:

2nd

Period covered:

from

1/9/2012 to 28/2/2014

Final publishable summary report Executive summary SOLALGEN - "Hybrid Algae Cultivation System Based on Conditioned Environment with Efficient Light Collection and Distribution System" is an R&D project funded by European Union’s Research for SMEs programme (GA no: 286013). From December 2011 until February 2014 the project has been developing key technologies to improve the productivity and cost effectiveness of growing algae by developing low cost technologies for improved solar illumination of the algae medium, as well as cultivation facilities which offer the advantages of closed ‘photobioreactors’ but with the costs of growing algae in open ponds. Project context and objectives The strategic overall objective of SOLALGEN has been to develop an optical light collection and distribution system that would significantly increase the productivity of both existing open pond algae cultivation plant designs and certain photobioreactor designs, as well as develop novel hybrid systems while maintaining low capital and operating costs and consequently reducing the overall costs per unit mass of algae oil produced. In order to achieve the objectives, the project has developed an innovative concept of Hybrid Open pond - photo BioReactor technology (HOBR) that will exploit advantages of both algae cultivation technologies, low capital and operation costs of open ponds with the light distribution system of photobioreactors for higher productivity, in a new hybrid algae cultivation technology. Two technical approaches have been explored: open pond with light distribution system and open pond/photo bioreactor hybrid system with light distribution and low cost closed algae environment system. Project results Based on the work performed on different aspects of the project the following results were achieved. Photo tubular bioreactor with optic enhancements hybridized with open pound was designed. Luminescent light distribution system for photo tubular bioreactor based on back ‘w’-shaped reflective films and surround fluorescent film with edge out coupled light redirected at bottom of tube was designed and developed and installed. Luminescent light distribution system for open pond (including scale up design) based on petal collectors on liquid light guide and redirecting conical mirror was designed, developed and installed. Heat exchanger can operate in both, heating and cooling mode, independent or as a part of larger heat recovery system was designed and manufactured. Control system for Cultivation environment conditioning system was developed consisting of: demo plant control system, advanced control system for scale up plants, integrated distributed measurement system, self learning identification platform. Algae Strain selection matching developed system with growth conditioning system was conducted. Fully functional demo plant with integrated lightning and control systems (2x50m) and applied WHRS. Market and exploitation On algae cultivation market there is current demand based on the exploitation of high margin products, albeit in relatively small quantities, but this still represents ultimately a market of many $US billions. The algae biofuel market is at an early stage and requires many developments to significantly reduce costs. However, it has the potential to dwarf any other algae markets. The next primary step in exploiting the development within the project is to build a complete prototype new tubular reactor incorporating: a) optimized illumination solutions, b) tubular heat exchanger matched to the new tubular arrangement and c) modification of the sensor platform, again modified for the new arrangement.

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Several potential applications are being considered to produce this prototype in conjunction with a biorefinery approach. Dissemination During project timeline the consortium was involved in various dissemination activities which were in line with current project development and status. Project was actively presented to EU and worldwide audience by several consortium partners during years 2012 and 2013. By participating in Project related international events, partners have created exposure and dialogue with the international algae industry with resepect to the SOLALGEN project and its industry potential. Events: BioMarine 2012 (London), Algae Commercialisation 2012 (London), World Biofuels Markets 2013 (Rotterdam), Scaling Algal Production Technologies 2013 (Thuwal), 2nd Annual Biofuels Conference 2013 (Amsterdam). Appropriate dissemination is planned to continue in 2014 as well with iXscient‘s participation on conference 2014 Algae Biomass Summit (San Diego) and 4th UK Algae Conference (Bedfordshire, UK). IP protection Several technologies aimed at the improvement of cultivation efficiencies for algae production were investigated and an IP examination resulted in a) patent summaries for Travelling Sensor Module for Tubular Photobioreactors - to be filed; b) Patent application for Luminescent Illumination System for Tubular Photobioreactors (GB1409544.2) - filed on 29/5/2014 at European Patent Office (EPO). Other project results will be protected as industrial know-how. Consortium and relevant contact details SOLALGEN project started in December 2011 and was initially coordinated by Microsharp Corporation Ltd., a UK-based designer and manufacturer of innovative optics products. In April 2013 Microsharp left the project due to internal company complications. Project coordination was taken on by RTD partner Novamina d.o.o. from Croatia ([email protected]). SME partners: Microsharp Corporation Ltd (UK); Biodiesel Castilla la Mancha, S.L (Spain), Emergo d.o.o (Croatia), AlgaeLink NV (Netherlands). RTD performers: iXscient Limited (UK), Novamina Centar inovativnih tehnologija d.o.o. (Croatia), Tecnologias Avanzadas Inspiralia SL (Spain). Other/end-user: Petrol Slovenska Energetska Druzba dd Ljubljana (Slovenia). Please visit project web site www.solalgen.eu and watch and the video on SOLALGEN generated results.

Summary description of project context and objectives The strategic overall objective of Solalgen has been to develop an optical light collection and distribution system that would significantly increase the productivity of both existing open pond algae cultivation plant designs and certain photobioreactor designs, as well as develop novel hybrid systems while maintaining low capital and operating costs and consequently reducing the overall costs per unit mass of algae oil produced. Light intensity is a key parameter affecting algae growth. Depending on the algae species and cultivation environment maximum production rates are achieved with the light intensities between 30 W/m2 and 100 W/m2 - which is around 1/10 of the light intensity of direct sunlight. Furthermore,

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algae are very efficient in absorbing the light that hits them and with fairly dense algae concentrations all light is absorbed in the thin top layer of the algae pond in the order of only few centimetres. These factors make open pond algae cultivation systems inefficient in their conversion of sunlight into algae oil mass. Photo bioreactors are closed systems with controlled light distribution and algae environment. Existing prototypes of photo bioreactors show significant increases in productivity, but are very complex and expensive to build. High capital and operating costs increase overall costs per unit mass of algae oil produced in photo bioreactors over open ponds, even with these significant increases in productivity. In order to achieve the objectives, the project has developed an innovative concept of Hybrid Open pond - photo BioReactor technology (HOBR) that will exploit advantages of both algae cultivation technologies, low capital and operation costs of open ponds with the light distribution system of photobioreactors for higher productivity, in a new hybrid algae cultivation technology. Two technical approaches have been explored: • open pond with light distribution system and • open pond / photo bioreactor hybrid system with light distribution and low cost closed algae environment system.

Description of the main S&T results/foregrounds The first project period mainly covered design and concept development aspects of the project while developing working prototypes and small systems were conducted in the second period. Microsharp and iXscient cooperated in the optical design and simulations required for the development of the various systems. A software simulation environment was set up including solar radiation, luminescent dyes and fluorescent modeling, plus photosynthetically active radiation absorption estimates enabling Solidworks designs to be imported and simulations carried out yielding estimates of the potential for biomass cultivation. Based on the design and ray tracing set up a number of different designs were explored and simulated. Emergo and Novamina, assisted by ITAV and AlgaeLink, worked on the cultivation plant conceptual design. Main algae requirements for plant cultivation for the chosen candidates have been gathered and supplied to engineers for design. System for Conditioning of Cultivation Environment was developed. Based on the specification on cultivation environment parameters specifications of conditioning equipment and instrumentation have been prepared. Main equipment and instrumentation has been identified and materials appropriateness evaluated. Cultivation Environment Conditioning System is being designed. The requirements for control system have been defined. Specification for PLC has been done. A simple algae system (aquarium) for material exposure testing, using ready available components has been designed and built. To test the resistance of a prototype of floating collector-distributor a simple pilot installation has been built up. An analysis of the characteristics of algae species has been conducted in order to indentify contenders for the project and for additional production outputs (to biofuel). This could improve the early stage cost economics of installing algae cultivation facilities. During second period, iXscient constructed prototypes of the open pond and tubular illumination solutions and tested then for light transmittance and light collection and redistribution, including wavelength effects. Several prototypes of the open pond illuminator were built. These were then tested by illuminating with a number of different light sources (halogen, fluorescent) and recording 4

with a spectrometer the light intensity and spectrum. The illumination was successfully conducted to the media around the liquid light guide. Single petals were analysed to examine the light collected (waveguided) by the petal and the change to light transmitted through the petal. Prototypes of the open pond illumination solution were constructed and tested. The red light was light guided into the liquid light guide chamber and emitted into the surrounding medium after reflection in the conical bottom mirror.A prototype of the tubular light collector and redistributor was produced, including a fluorescent film and a reflector film. The testing arrangement was constructed, including a black tube (to represent the tube filled by algae medium) rotating with an aperture for the spectrometer within the arrangement. Conceptual design of algae cultivation plant was presented. The consortium has decided to design a cultivation plant as a hybrid system of tubular horizontal photobioreactor and open pond. The main benefits from this conceptual design are the light collection and distribution system, the temperature control system and the industrial centralized control and monitoring system. The idea was to develop a general design applicable for various types of tubular photobioreactors and ponds cultivation enhancing the marketability of the system. The detailed specifications and design of the final prototype plant were described aiming the final prototype construction and testing. Some alternatives to the light collection and distribution system were included. The concept description of biofuel production via a hybrid open pond + photo bioreactor technology was given throughout with the algae selection and the specification of the indicators for wastewater input, the water temperature ranges, and the designs of the photobiorector, pond, light and optical system and final prototype plant and control system. Heat exchanger was designed and developed by Novamina based on the requirements and initial parameters defined in the previous research. Heat exchanger can be used in both heating and cooling mode depending on the current needs and it serves as a backup unit for algae cultivation temperature control. After design phase was finished and HEX defined it was produced and shipped to the AlgaeLink facility to be assembled on the test rig. The prototype of SolAlgen has been realized. This first prototype was built using the actual facilities of AlgaeLink, modified as required and light system prototypes manufactured by iXscient has been mounted in demo plant. It is a prototype system that allows to perform an initial evaluation of the effectiveness of SolAlgen concept. The main idea in WP4 was to design a PLC based controller for all HBOR system (PBR+Open Pond) which will have all the features for control growth parameters. The temperature control was the first augmentation in the system and it has capacity to control temperature in both HBOR’s systems within the winter and would be able to use waste heat from industry or solar systems. Novel concept of distributed measurement system was designed, which will be able to have desired sensing unit and would send data to main controller for analysis. This system was developed within WP4 and was integrated with cleaning device which travels through the whole system. Procurement of sensing equipment was done and sensors were tested with the PLC controllers shown.For intelligent optimization a novel solution was developed that uses neural networks natural ability to identify unknown and complex systems. System identification was used in order to obtain mathematical model of the system. After that optimal control strategy for the system could be developed. Waste heat exchange system was developed so that energy that would be otherwise wasted could be reused. This system was needed to improve performance of the system during the cold season and improve system yield because of maintaining higher temperatures. Control system for the heat exchanger was also added. For monitoring and data aqusition a novel concept of distributed measurement system was established which consists of sensing unit and communication unit for sending data to main controller for analysis. Based on the specification and design report the cultivation environment system was integrated at demo site in AlgaeLink’s facilities in Netherlands. 5

Guidance on algae cultivation in pilot system has been presented and economics sustainability improvement analysis has been made and presented in D5.2. Number of improvements were designed and developed during the project which served as upgrades for the existing AlgaeLink photo bioreactor unit which was the basis around which SolAlgen prototype was developed and built with the addition of open pond unit. Final prototype was described and showed us the impact of all the upgrades on the algae production. At AlgaeLink’s facility technology upgrades motioned in previous sections were presented and tested. Focus was on the light/optical system which was installed on the part of the photo tubular reactor and also on the open pond units. All the sensors introduced in WP4 were previously tested and validated at lab scale measuring unit and results were presented. Finally, AlgaeLink conducted series of measurements of the main factors related to algae growth with the parallel test of photo tubular bioreactor and open pond unit both with and without SolAlgen improvements with the final goal of determining impact on the production unit yield. Final results Based on the work performed on different aspects of the project the following results were achieved: •





• •

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Photo tubular bioreactor with 8X12m tubes (whole unit is around 100 m2) with optic enhancements hybridized modifications and open pond was designed with another photo tubular 8x12m unit without modifications. (Tubular PBR is bigger than 200 m2). Luminescent light distribution system for photo tubular bioreactor based on back ‘w’-shaped reflective films and surround fluorescent film with edge out coupled light redirected at bottom of tube was designed and developed and installed Luminescent light distribution system for open pond (including scale up design) based on petal collectors on liquid light guide and redirecting conical mirror was designed developed and installed. Heat exchanger. It can operate in both, heating and cooling mode, independent or as a part of larger heat recovery system was designed and manufactured Control system for cultivation environment conditioning system was developed consisting of: demo plant control system advanced control system for scale up plants integrated distributed measurement system self learning identification platform Algae strain selection matching developed system with growth conditioning system was conducted Fully functional demo plant with integrated lightning and control systems(2x50m) and applied WHRS

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Potential impact and the main dissemination activities and exploitation of results Market potential In the face of petroleum scarcity, increasing oil prices, market volatility and climate change, a number of national governments, including particularly the USA and the EU, have enacted legislation and support to develop their domestic biofuels markets. Meanwhile, particularly arising from concerns over the sustainability of first generation biofuels, innovative startup companies, strategic partnerships led by large multinationals, and university-led research consortiums are spearheading efforts to develop low-cost and replicable production pathways for advanced biofuels derived from renewable biomass, including specifically algae. Many fuel uses have no alternative to liquid fuels, for example the commercial aviation sector and U.S. military, and they are looking to renewable fuel sources such as algae-based biofuels to reduce expenses and mitigate their acute vulnerability to petroleum supply chains and potential escalating costs. Addressing this enormous potential, but future, market, as an example Exxon Mobil is committing up to $600 million and BP committing $10 million amongst other substantial investments in this area. However, while there has been a large amount of research focusing on improving the economic sustainability of algal fuels production, environmental sustainability, including impacts on ecosystem services such as biodiversity, water, soil and air, have received considerably less attention. In addition, and covering the bulk of the current market for algae cultivation products, microalgae are cultivated to produce a wide range of economically interesting metabolites which are used for cosmetics, personal care and food ingredient markets. These include astaxanthin which has a market size of around $250 million, beta carotene with a market size of $280 million and omega oils such as DHA and EPA which can be used in nutraceuticals and for aquaculture, with a market size of $1.5 billion, liquid fertilizers, which has a market size of around $5 million, feeds for livestock with a market size of $300 million and human foods with a market size $0.5 billion. Macroalgae can also be used to produce higher value products including hydrocolloids (seaweed polymers), such as carageenan, alginate and agars, which together have a total market size of $1 bn. Yielding 2 to 20 times more oil per acre than leading oilseed crops, algae’s productivity and scalability are its greatest advantages. On paper, algae could displace worldwide petroleum use altogether, however, the industry has yet to produce any significant levels of oil for commercial production. Although the algae-based biofuels market will grow rapidly once key cost hurdles are overcome, widespread scale-up will be hampered by a number of difficult challenges, including access to nutrients, water, and private capital. With the cost of production still a key obstacle to widespread production, many companies are refocusing production efforts on low-volume, highvalue co-products to develop revenue streams over the next decade. In general algae cultivation has many advantages over current feedstocks for biofuels: algae cultivation doesn’t compete with agricultural land or production, and remains independent of raw material imports; it draws on sunlight as a main energy source and converts carbon dioxide into biomass and oxygen while it produces high concentrations of proteins, lipids, pigments and acids; and can be grown in salt water, freshwater or wastewater. But despite algae’s potential, producing cost-effective yields for the many applications remains a problem. All this creates a potential large and growing market for algae cultivation systems which need to meet the twin demands of high productivity and low capital costs. Improving algae yields Studies suggest that over the coming years, algae biofuel has the potential to make up one-twelfth of total U.S. fuel, but since the current industry struggles to cultivate consistent volumes at realistic prices, leading researchers to seek solutions to improve current algae cultivation methods. Therefore 7

developments in all aspects of algae cultivation which reduce the production costs are in demand and an absolute requirement for a working algae biofuel industry. Algae cultivation methods Industrial algae production utilizes light energy to grow phototropic microorganisms, which build biomass through photosynthesis. Of the thousands of types of algae, some 100 to 200 can be industrially grown. Cultivating microorganisms is known as third-generation biomass, since the process occurs in relatively small areas and does not take up farmland to compete with food production. Two main methods exist for industrial algae production: open ponds and photobioreactors (PBRs). Open ponds are low-depth, artificial ponds that are typically built in circular or raceway configurations and use paddle wheels or other mechanisms to keep the water in constant motion. Open ponds encourage algae growth through the constant addition of nutrients and carbon dioxide. While open ponds offer a seemingly inexpensive solution to algae production, they suffer from inherent drawbacks, such as space limitations, poor light utilization, water evaporation and pond contamination, all of which reduce yields. The disadvantages associated with open pond systems forced researchers to seek controllable solutions to algae production. PBRs are closed-system, artificial algae growing environments that consist of rows of connected glass or plastic tubes typically between 5 and 30 cm in diameter. They provide a controlled and measureable process for consistent algae production. Closed systems allow for more precise control of ideal growing conditions by providing accurate monitoring of nutrients, pH and light to better enhance yields, while also increasing light distribution options via fiber optics or artificial light. PBRs enable researchers to grow sensitive genetically modified algae, which can only be cultivated in contained environments. Closed systems also enable researchers to easily move algae, adding greater flexibility with respect to production. PBRs offer high yields and reproducible harvest results, positioning them as the future of the algae production industry. But while the solution offers a noticeable advantage over open ponds, the total algae production potential within PBR systems has yet to be tapped. One of the great benefits of algae as a feedstock is that it can be used to produce an array of biofuels: algal oil, biodiesel, renewable diesel, aviation biofuel, renewable jet fuel, biogasoline, ethanol, butanol, biomethane, and even hydrogen. Algae biofuels production also involves a wide array of technologies, from genetically engineered diatoms, green algae, and cyanobacteria; to open ponds or photobioreactors for cultivation; centrifuges and presses for extraction; and refineries, fermenters and digesters for processing into fuels. Because the market for algae biofuels production technologies is diverse, it is helpful to break it down according to subsets of production technologies: cultivation technologies, harvesting and extraction technologies, and algae biofuels production facilities. Through 2015, cultivation technology sales are expected to hold most of the total algae biofuels production technologies market. The remaining market segments will be held by a combination of harvesting and extraction and fuels production facilities, for a total projected market value of over $1.6 billion in 2015. Starting at an estimated $271 million market size for 2010, this increase is significant and underscores that this is a quickly changing and evolving industry, expected to show an annual growth rate of nearly 43 percent. At its current stage, the algae biofuels industry is primarily pursuing pilot and demonstration-scale algae cultivation projects and algae biofuels production facility projects. Due in part to the wide 8

array of production technologies available, pilot projects are expected to continue through 2015 following the completion of demonstration-scale and commercial-scale projects that will result from varying stages of business activities between algae biofuels companies. Most announced development is currently within the U.S., although smaller peripheral markets in the European Union and Asia are expected to emerge due to collaborations with the U.S. algae biofuels industry or as a result of research programs begun in 2010-2012. The U.S. is forecast to represent over 82% of the global market for open pond algae cultivation systems from 2010-2015, while the EU and Asian markets are respectively expected to claim 11% and 7%. U.S biodiesel fuel market As of January 3, 2007 there were 88 operating biodiesel facilities in the US with a combined capacity of 800 million gallons per year. These facilities are widely distributed across the US with a higher concentration in the Midwest. The vast majority produce less than 15 million gallons per year. Although the production capacity in 2007 was over 800 million gallons per year, many of the operational plants this went online in 2007 did not produce at full capacity due to lack of sufficient quantities of feedstock at a cost low enough to produce biodiesel profitably. The domestic market for biodiesel has barely begun to be tapped. The United States consumed almost 70 billion gallons of distillate fuels in 2006; over 42 billion gallons of petroleum diesel were used in the on-highway sector alone (60%). The commercial and residential heating oil sector accounted for another 10 billion gallons per year. The US biodiesel industry produced nearly 400 million gallons of biodiesel fuel in 2006. This is slightly over 0.006% of the total US distillate market. Today´s biodiesel industry would have to grow over 175 times its current size to capture the petroleum diesel market or over 100 times to capture only the on-highway portion. Industry trends reflect a 35% increase in the production of feedstock such as Soy, Canola, Palm, Camelina in 2007. Analyst forecast continued crop increases going forward. The benefit of producing biodiesel fuel from these sources is greatly diminished. Algae oil production is 75% 250% greater than Soy Beans, Camelina, Rape Seed, Jetropha, or Palm oils for the same lot of lan The major factors for algae biofuels technology market growth include trends in the prices and commodity markets for fossil fuels, regulatory support and incentives available to the algae biofuels industry for industry growth, growing investment in the algae biofuels industry, and contemporary industry activity focused on reducing the operational and capital costs associated with algae biofuels production. The high market growth projected for algae cultivation systems is based upon the growing volume of pilot, demonstration-scale, and emergent commercial-scale projects currently planned by companies within the algae biofuels industry. More than a dozen projects with over $25 million in algae cultivation system costs are projected through 2015. Therefore the algae cultivation market can be summarized as follows: • There is current demand based on the exploitation of high margin products, albeit in relatively small quantities, but this still represents ultimately a market of many $US billions • The algae biofuel market is at an early stage and requires many developments to significantly reduce costs. However it has the potential to dwarf any other algae markets Exploitation The next primary step in exploiting the development within the project is to build a complete prototype new tubular reactor incorporating:

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• • •

The optimized illumination solutions The tubular heat exchanger matched to the new tubular arrangement A modification of the sensor platform, again modified for the new arrangement

Several potential applications are being considered, in collaboration between iXscient and AlgaeLink, to produce this prototype in conjunction with a biorefinery approach: • • • •

Processing waste water outputs, e.g. those from industrial potato processing Incorporating CO2 from flue gases Generating high value products such a omega 3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) Producing food for aquaculture as the final use of the processed biomass

Dissemination Conferences, web site, video During project timeline the consortium was involved in various dissemination activities, which included: • updating project web site www.solalgen.eu • participation on exhibitions and conferences • production of short video demonstrating project results These activities were in line with current project development and status. Accordingly, while the technology was still in its development phase, partners’ dissemination activities focused on participation on appropriate events, making valuable contacts within bio fuel community and advertising the new project perspective.

Project was actively presented to EU, as well as worldwide audience, by several consortium partners during years 2012 and 2013. SME partner AlgaeLink participated in Project related international events and has actively created exposure and dialogue with the international algae industry with resepect to the SOLALGEN project and its industry potential. AlgaeLink was present at: • BioMarine 2012 London held on 24th and 25th October. • Algae Commercialisation 2012 held in London on 27th and 28th November. 10

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World Biofuels Markets 2013 held in Rotterdam, Netherlands, between 12th and 14th March. Scaling Algal Production Technologies, a conference and workshop that took place at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia, between 10th and 12th November 2013.

Potential end-user Petrol participated in 2nd Annual Biofuels Conference in Amsterdam held on 10th and 11th June 2013. Petrol presented the project through discussion on revenue prospects for alternative developers in 2013 and beyond.

Following project completion, appropriate dissemination is planned to continue in 2014 as well. RTD performer iXscient submitted an abstract for conference 2014 ALGAE BIOMASS SUMMIT that is to be held between 29th September and 2nd October 2014 in San Diego, the United States. IXscient will also continue to create Project exposure on future events, such as 4th UK Algae Conference to be held on 17th June 2014 at Cranfield University, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom. Please refer to deliverable D7.5 Project result presentation on EU wide event or conference for more information. In the final stage of the project, partners joined efforts to produce a presentable video of SOLALGEN achievements. It was shot at AlgaeLink’s demonstration site in February 2014 and edited with additional material. The video has been uploaded to YouTube for reaching greather audience. The link was set on project official web site www.solalgen.eu, updated with relevant information.

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Patents SOLALGEN project has investigated several technologies aimed at the improvement of cultivation efficiencies for algae production: • Improvements in algae illumination for a variety of algae growth facilities, including Open Ponds and Tubular Bioreactors • New arrangements of sensors for algae cultivation • Heating/cooling arrangements • Novel control systems for algae cultivation An IP examination was undertaken by iXscient and new patent summary was developed for Travelling Sensor Module for Tubular Photobioreactors (to be filed). Patent application for Luminescent Illumination System for Tubular Photobioreactors (GB1409544.2) was filed on 29/5/2014 at European Patent Office (EPO) . Other project results will be protected as industrial know-how.

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Address of the project public website and relevant contact details Project web site: www.solalgen.eu

Project logo: Project video: For video on project results please visit web site www.solalgen.eu. Consortium: The project has developed during for two years as a collaboration between 8 European partners: SME partners: Microsharp Corporation Ltd, UK (www.microsharp.com) (December 2011-April 2013) Biodiesel Castilla la Mancha, S.L, Spain (www.biodieselclm.com) Emergo d.o.o, Croatia (www.emergo.hr) Algaelink NV, Netherlands (www.algaelink.com) RTD performers: iXscient Limited, UK (www.ixscient.com) Novamina Centar inovativnih tehnologija d.o.o, Croatia (www.novamina.hr) Tecnologias Avanzadas Inspiralia SL, Spain (www.inspiralia.com) Other/end-user: Petrol Slovenska Energetska Druzba dd Ljubljana, Slovenia (www.petrol.si) SOLALGEN project started in December 2011 and was initially coordinated by Microsharp Corporation Ltd., a UK-based designer and manufacturer of innovative optics products. In April 2013 Microsharp left the project due to internal company complications. Project coordination was taken on by RTD partner Novamina d.o.o. from Croatia. Coordinator contact information: Davor Linarić, director NOVAMINA Centar inovativnih tehnologija d.o.o. Zagrebačka cesta 145 A 10 000 Zagreb Croatia Tel: +385 (0)1 3499 777 Fax: +385 (0)1 3793 345 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.novamina.hr 14

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