Feasibility Study of a Proposed Agrobusiness Solution for the Veenkoloniën

Area

commissioned by

Froukje de Boer, Xiangming Chen, Victoria Naipal, Hanna Rövenich, Bart van StratumHaregot Haile Zerom

Introduction

Introduction - Basin - Energy - Algae - Integration - Conclusion

• Future Veenkoloniën: climate change, intensifying irrigation

• Expected water shortage for irrigation

(technical) feasibility?

• Proposed solution: water storage basins

• Loss of agricultural area: compensate loss of income

• Creation water storage

• Solar energy

• Algae cultivation

Methods

• Three individual concepts => three working groups

1) Individual study subjects

2) Integration

+ + = ....

Introduction - Basin - Energy - Algae - Integration - Conclusion

Water Basins

Water Basins

• Future water demand: 100M m3 (now) => 175M m3 (future)

• Storage: regional vs local

• Study area: farm with 100 hectare of land

• Per m2 of agricultural land: 74 mm

• Total storage: 55,000 m3

Determining the basin dimensions:

• Depth determines area needed

• Per m2 of basin: precipitation, evaporation, seepage

Introduction - Basin - Energy - Algae - Integration - Conclusion

Water Basins

evaporation precipitation

leakage

Depth: 1.5 m 2.0 m

Storage: 72,700 m3 67,600 m3

Area: 4.9 ha 3.5 ha

• Volume at 1st of April sufficient to supply 74 mm of irrigation

irrigation

ditch

basin

Introduction - Basin - Energy - Algae - Integration - Conclusion

Solar Energy

Solar Energy: Construction

sensitive to movementsInefficient for the Netherlands

best solution

Photovoltaic (PV) cells: best solution for Veenkoloniën

• Mounting: fixed vs floating

• Floating: least expensive, but allows movement

Introduction - Basin - Energy - Algae - Integration - Conclusion

Solar Energy: Economics

Small scale (<15 kWp)

Individual scale: ~100 m2

Economically profitable

Payback time: ~10 years

Large scale (>15 kWp)

Large scale: ~1,000-10,000 m2

Economically balanced

Uncertainty depending on

subsidies (SDE)Use partly for own energy

need

Sell excess to electricity grid

Introduction - Basin - Energy - Algae - Integration - Conclusion

Algae Cultivation

Algae Cultivation

• Why algae?

• Environmentally friendly (CO2 neutral)

• Biofuels, feed and food, electricity (H2), cosmetics, bio-

plastics, ...

(-) Contamination

(-) Difficult to control

growth parameters

(-) Light conditions non-

homogeneous

(+) Controlled

conditions

(+) Easy to scale up

(-) Small surface

(+) Highest productivity

(+) Controlled conditions

(+) Optimal light impact

Introduction - Basin - Energy - Algae - Integration - Conclusion

Algae Species

• Species: Neochloris oleoabundans

• High oil content (up to 40% under nutrient starvation

conditions)

• Biomass areal productivity: 16.5 g/m2/day

• Fresh water organism

• Can grow in wastewater and on waste CO2

Introduction - Basin - Energy - Algae - Integration - Conclusion

Algae Application

• Dimensions:

• 4,444 reactors/ha

• 110 L/reactor

• 16.5 g/m2/day

→ ~70,000 kg/ha/yr

• Biomass composition:

• 40% lipids

• 50% proteins

• 10% carbohydrates

• Price: 1.65 €/kg

• Production cost: 0.5

€/kg*Introduction - Basin - Energy - Algae - Integration - Conclusion

Integration

irrigation

reduce evaporation

water pumping

cooling PV

electricity

biomass

Integration

electricity

(external)

CO2

wastewater

Integration #2

• Floating greenhouse => reduction of evaporation

controlled environment

biogas installation

biomassCO2

wastewater

starch industry

2.5 - 3 m height

Conclusions

• Water storage: technically feasible, economic feasibility uncertain

• Solar energy:

• Technically feasible

• Economic feasibility: depending on scale and subsidy

• Algae: technically feasible, economic feasibility uncertain

• Integration: creates technically feasible, energy-neutral system

• Economic feasibility needs further study

Questions?

Introduction - Basin - Energy - Algae - Integration - Conclusion