algae fuels emerging oppurtunities

8/8/2019 Algae Fuels Emerging Oppurtunities

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Algae Fuels : Emerging opportunities

for Indian Entrepreneurs


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The story behind Oilgae


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Why are we here for?

To give a overall summary about algaebiofuels

To highlight the opportunities in this sector


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List of Contentsy Introduction

y Classification of energy

y Biofuels

y Biomass as fuel source

y Introduction to algae biofuels

y Historyy Uniqueness of algae fuels

y Technology

y Algae fuels: Growth and Investments

y Role ofIndia in algae biofuels

y Current status of algae fuels in Indiay Benefits to Emerging entrepreneurs

y Challenges and bottlenecks

y Conclusion


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Introduction

Incremental need for alternative fuels is mainly dueto:

y

Rising crude oil prices

y Resulting impact on our environment due to fossil fuels

(e.g., global warming)


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Classification of energy

Traditional

Non Renewable

Energy

Alternative

Oil

Gas

Coal

Renewable Energy

Solar

Wind

Hydro

Ocean

Geothermal

Biomass

ENERGY SOURCE

Gas Hydrates

Nuclear

Oil Shale

Tar Sands


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Biofuels

Substitute forpetrodieselBiodiesel

Subsitute forgasolineEthanol

Less common types: Biobutanol Synfuel


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Biomass as biofuel source

- Any liquid that stores energy, which is typicallyutilized by an engine or generator, can be called afuel.

- Biofuels are fuels that are derived from organicbiomass, rather than minerals

- Classified into1st , 2nd & 3rd generation biofuels


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First generation biofuels

y Made from soybeans, palm, canola and rapeseed

Pros

Simple and well-knownproduction methods

Familiar feedstocks

Scalable to productioncapacities

Experience with commercialproduction and use inseveral countries

Cons

Feedstocks competedirectly with cropsgrown for food

Low land-useefficiency

Modest net reductionsin fossil fuel use andgreenhouse gasemissions with current

processing methods


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Second generation biofuels

y Non-food bio-feedstocks are considered as feedstock forsecond generation biofuels (jatropha, cellulose)

Pros

Eliminates competition for food and feed

More efficient and environmentally friendly

Less farmland is required

Useful by-products

Cons

Same downfall as the first generation fuels butwithout as great of an eco imprint.


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Third generation biofuels

y Algae are considered to belong to the third generationfeedstock.

Pros

superior yields

not directly affecting the human food chain

grown in places that are not suitable for agriculture

enhanced efficiencies or reduction in cost

ConsThe problem of course is in developing technologies that will enable

this kind of biofuel to be more cost effective to make.


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Introduction to algae fuels

Microalgae

Contains oil Processed for biodiesel production

Macroalgae

Composed of starch and cellulose Processed for ethanol production


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History of energy from algae

y Aquatic Species Programme, (1978 and 1996)y Mainly focused on microalgae for oil (biodiesel)

y 25 million dollar investment

y Production of algae for fuel is not economically viable

y Since 2002, there have been a number of commercial andresearch efforts in the algae energy field, and the activities havefurther accelerated starting 2008.

y While most of the efforts in the first few years focused on

biodiesel as the end-product, recently a number of efforts haverecently been initiated to explore the viability of using algae asfeedstock for other energy products.


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Uniqueness of algae fuels

Algae fuels

Higher oil yieldLesser landrequirement

food vs. fuel

Range of products

Adaptability

WWT & CO2

capture


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Higher oil yield

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

Soybeans Sunflower Canola Jathropha Palm Oil Microalgae

Oil yields(barrels/ha-yr)


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Lesser land requirement

y Algae is capable of producing 30 times more oilper acre than the current crops now utilized forthe production of biofuels.

y Algae could produce up to 94,000 liters of oil peracre, shrinking land requirements


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Adaptability to a range of

environment

Grown under conditions which are unsuitable forconventional crop production

(marine water, wastewater, open ponds)


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Solve the food versus fuel problem

y Does not compete directly with crops grown for foody Algae can make use of marine and waster water

y Some algae can be grown in desert regions

y Some algae can be grown in ocean environment

y Does not require expensive nutrients for growing


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A wide range of fuel products

Biodiesel

Ethanol

Methane

Hydrogen

Algae


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Integrated withWastewater

Treatment and CO2 capture


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How to obtain fuel from algae?

y Picking up the best algae

y Growing the algae

y Harvesting

y Generating the fuel product


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Open systems


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Closed systems

Also referred asPhotobioreactors

Tubular PBR Flat plate PBR


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Product generation via different

routesy Biodiesel

y Ethanol

y Hydrogeny Methane

y Electricity where algae biomass is directly usedfor combustion

y Other hydrocarbon fuel variants, such as JP-8fuel, gasoline, biobutanol etc.


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Biodiesel from algae

Cultivation ofMicroalgae species

Harvesting ofMicroalgae

Extraction of Oil from Microalgae

Transesterification

Biodiesel


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Ethanol from algae

Fermentation

Algae Biomass

Ethanol


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Hydrogen from algae

Biomass

Gasification Biogas FermentationDark Fermentation

Steam Reformation

H2


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Methane from algae

Algal Biomass

Anaerobic digestion

Methane


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Challenges & Bottlenecks

Biological

Technical

Economical


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Picking up an algae strain


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Technical Challenges

y Maintenance of open pond cultivation

y Cost of closed systems

y Harvesting of microalgae


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Economics

02468

101214

Crude oil Algae oil (openpond)

Algae oil(photobioreactor)

Cost (in$/gallon)


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Algae fuels: Growth and Investments


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Growth

y More than 100 companies are working on algaefuels, especially in USA and UK

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

# of companies


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Investments

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

2006 2007 2008 2009

(in million dollar)


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Tremendous opportunities for Indian

entrepreneurs


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Supports

y Government funds

y Cleantech investors

y Carbon credits and nutrient credits


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Key players

Commercialplant

Pilot plant

ResearchInstitutes &

Organizations

>25


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MCRC - pioneer in algae cultivation

A non-Governmental

Voluntary Research Organisation Established in 1977 The first major researchon algae technology at MCRC wason Spirulina Technology was licensed

to the sister concern, The NewAmbadi Estates (nowParry AgroIndustries Ltd.)


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Indian oil and petroalgae

ICOL is the 18th largestpetroleum company in the world, and iscurrentlyIndias largest company bysales.

PetroAlgae has signed anMOUto license its proprietary technology forproducing and harvesting algae for fuelto Indian Oil

Announcement was onN

ov2009


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ONGC and teri research

TERI, a leader in thefield of bio-remediation and hasbeen giving services to ONGC.

StatoilHydro andIndia's leading oil companyONGC have signed anMOU

Explore the potential ofAlgae-based Carbon Capture andStorage (CCS), and CDM (cleandevelopment mechanism)projects in India.


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Other Indian companies

y Hydrolina Biotech Pvt Ltd.,

y BioMax

y Enhanced biofuels


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Conclusion

Even with few challenges taken into consideration, algaebiofuel s natural advantages look to make it one of theforemost players in the clean energy market

Algae biofuel production holds future promise for developingcountries.

More jobs

Energy independence

algae fuels emerging oppurtunities

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