group1 algae and_biodiesel

Biodiesel From MicroalgaeA Solution for a Sustainable San Luis Obospo

County

Mike SassEric AmendtRyan GleimTim McLeneganTim Whitacre

April 29, 2005

Outline

Biodiesel from algae Feasibility of algae Oil collection and refining Application to our county

Algae Overview

Tim McLeneganEric Amendt

Algae and Biodiesel

Algae Biodiesel is a good replacement for standard crop Biodiesels like soy and canola

Up to 70% of algae biomass is usable oils Algae does not compete for land and space

with other agricultural crops Algae can survive in water of high salt

content and use water that was previously deemed unusable

Storing the Sun’s Energy (Photosynthesis)

What is needed– Sunlight– CO2

– Nutrients Storage of Energy

– Lipids and oils– Carbohydrates

http://www.veggievan.org/downloads/articles/Biodiesel%20from%20Algae.pdf

What affects oil production?

Climate– Cold weather reduces algae oil production– Overcast days reduce sunlight and lower oil

production Nutrients

– Depletion of Nitrogen and Silicate

Controlling Nutrients

Nitrogen– Aids in cell division

Silicate– Aids in cell wall production

Depleting Nutrients– Starving the algae of these two nutrients reduce the rate of

cell division– Oil production remains constant– Results in an increase in the oil to mass ratio

The Algae Pond


Mass Production of Algae


Choosing an Algae

Important characteristics of Algae

– High % of total biomass is oil

– Maintains a high % of oil even under stress

– Compatible with the San Luis Obispo climate

www.kluyvercentre.nl/content/ documents/Verslag2biodieselBaarnschLyceum.pdf -

What Type of Algae

Botryococcus braunii– Converts 61% of its

biomass into oil– Drops to only 31% oil

under stress– Grows best between 22-

25oC (71-77oF)

www.kluyvercentre.nl/content/ documents/Verslag2biodieselBaarnschLyceum.pdf -

Where To Grow It

Extensions onto our water treatment plants– Clean up our waste and generate fuel

Agriculture runoff– Exploit the county’s many farms and vineyards

Soda Lake– Salt lake east of Santa Margarita– Vast open space of Carrizo Plain– Only has water in winter/spring months– National Monument status may prevent development

Feasibility

Tim Whitacre

Feasibility

Is it too good to be true?– DOE concluded a 16-year study of algal biomass in 1996 (and

wrote a 328-page report) http://www.nrel.gov/docs/legosti/fy98/24190.pdf

– Conducted large-scale tests in California, New Mexico and Hawaii

With good temperatures, could harvest 50 grams of algae per sq. meter per day

Used a 1,000 m2 pond for 1 year– Research stopped due to budget cuts– UNH paper may hopefully rekindle research

With more research/funding, it can be done

Comments from NREL

“Projections for future costs of petroleum are a moving target. DOE expects petroleum costs to remain relatively flat over the next 20 years. Expecting algal biodiesel to compete with such cheap petroleum prices is unrealistic. Without some mechanism for monetizing its environmental benefits (such as carbon taxes), algal biodiesel is not going to get off the ground.”

Comments from NREL

“Engineering design and cost studies have been done throughout the course of the ASP, with ever increasing realism in the design assumptions and cost estimates. The last set of cost estimates for the program was developed in 1995. These estimates showed that algal biodiesel cost would range from $1.40 to $4.40 per gallon based on current and long-term projections for the performance of the technology. Even with assumptions of $50 per ton of CO2 as a carbon credit, the cost of biodiesel never competes with the projected cost of petroleum diesel.”

http://futures.tradingcharts.com/chart/CO/M

$ Per Barrel

Show Me The Money!!!

The current price of diesel is growing What does this mean for Biodiesel?

Michael Briggs of University of New Hampshire

Production ability– 37,500 gallons per hectare of desert land per year

Pond construction– $80,000 per hectare

Operating Costs– $12,000 per hectare

NREL resultsBenemann and Oswald (1996)

Capital Investment– $69,000 to $104,400 per hectare

Operating Costs– $21,370 to $32,320 per hectare per year

Algal Oil Costs– $39 to $69 per barrel– $0.93 to $1.65 per gallon

16,000 to 32,000 gallons per hectare per year

Cost per hectare

Processing Costs

$0.30 to $1.00 per gallon Without taxes or profit

– Michael Briggs $0.32 per gallon of biodiesel

– Real World $1.23 - $2.65 per gallon of biodiesel

San Luis Costs

The startup costs per processing plant would be the same as noted in the fall presentation on Biodiesel.– $15,000,000 per 30,000,000 gallon plants.

Our research shows that the cost per algal pond would be greater.

Assuming $0.10 profit per gallonTotal Costs

Return On Investment

-$100,000,000

$0

$100,000,000

$200,000,000

$300,000,000

$400,000,000

$500,000,000

$600,000,000

$700,000,000

$800,000,000

Year

Gal

lons

and

Mon

ey

Total Cap Cost

Gallons a year

Total Prof it

Red/Black

Oil Collection and Refining

Mike Sass

Pressing oil from the algae

Dry the algae and press the oil from it. Can retrieve up to 70% of the oil. While drying must prevent the algae from

becoming contaminated. Cheapest and simplest method

http://forums.biodieselnow.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3414

Chemical Oil Extraction

Use hexane solvents to remove the oil. Hexane is a neurotoxin. Must be careful when using. Removes oil out of almost all things.

http://www.organix.net/organix/supercritical.htm

Super Critical Oil Extraction

Most efficient method. Uses carbon dioxide at critical pressure and

temperature (CO2 is almost a liquid). Carbon dioxide. Rapid diffusion of the oil. Very expensive process.

http://www.nrel.gov/docs/legosti/fy98/24190.pdf

TAG (triacylglycerol)

Three chains of fatty acids attached to a glycerol Natural oil from the algae

http://www.nrel.gov/docs/legosti/fy98/24190.pdf

Transesterification

Start with triacylglycerol (TAG)

End up with ester alcohol (biodiesel)

http://biodiesel.org/pdf_files/fuelfactsheets/Production.PDF

Three ways to produce biodiesel

Base catalyzed transesterification with alcohol.

Acid catalyzed esterification with methanol. Convert the oil to fatty acids. Then acid

catalyze to alkyl esters.


Base Catalyzed with Alcohol

Most common process Most economical Low pressure (20psi) Low temperature (150oF) No intermediate steps High conversion rate (98%)


General Process

Application To Our County

Ryan Gleim

RTA

Current County Bus System

CCAT and SCAT6

#

#38,178.08 5104,170.11 18

TotalGas TG Gas For All Busses for monthsof Busses NB

Gallons per Bus GPBGallons per Day per Bus GPDGallons per Acre per year GPAof Acres required A

SCAT gallons for BussesCCAT gallons for BussesTG S

( ) ( )( ) ( )

CAT gallons CCAT gallonsNB SCAT busses CCAT busses

Fuel Requirements

104170.11 38178.08 142348.19( )5 18 23

142348.19 6189.05( 6 )23

183 66189.05 33.82( )

183

TG gallonsNB

TGGPB gallons per Bus for monthsNB

Time days per monthsGPBGPD gallons per day per busTime

Biodiesel Requirements

Using Biodiesel in current diesel busses

2( ) 2(142348.19) 43.8( )6500

2( ) 2(142348.19) 21.9( )13000

TGA acresGPATGA acres

GPA

Diesel Hybrid

GM Hybrid Bus

http:www.gm.com/company/adv_tech/300_hybrids/index_bus.html

Hybrid Bus Statistics

GM Hybrid Bus– EP system– Clean Hybrid technology– Hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide reduction of

about 90%– Nitrous oxide reduction of about 50%– Already in service in many cities– Up to 60% improved fuel economy

Calculations Adjusted

Using Biodiesel in HYBRID diesel busses

60% 0.602( ) 2(142348.19) (1 0.60) 17.5( )

65002( ) 2(142348.19) (1 0.60) 8.8( )

13000

Hybrid fuel usageimprovementTGA acres

GPATGA acres

GPA

Conclusion

Algae is a very efficient means of producing biodiesel

The oil production from algae farms is feasible and scalable

Further research necessary to unlock full potential of algae

Questions

group1 algae and_biodiesel

Education