Industrial application of microalgae in the circular bioeconomyDorinde Kleinegris
[Applied Biotechnology / Microalgae]
Why microalgae?
• High areal productivity
• CO2 mitigation
• No arable land
• Low water use
• Seawater and wastewater
• Can use residual streams for nutrients
• High diversity, many products
[Applied Biotechnology / Microalgae]
CO2
Nutrients (N, P)
+ O2
[Applied Biotechnology / Microalgae]
Products with algae inside
Lipids20 %
Proteins 50 %
Carbohydrates20 %
Pigments3 %
Ashes7 %
Nannochloropsis
There is a large gap
[Applied Biotechnology / Microalgae]
CommoditiesMicroalgae
Commercial production: challenges
[Applied Biotechnology / Microalgae]
Product costs
Scale
Production chain analysis
Market development
Biomass Production costs: Model
Netherlands
Saudi Arabia
Canary Islands
Turkish Riviera
South Spain
Curacao
Culture temperature
Daily Dilution
Mixing day/night)
Operation days per year
...
Light Intensity
Electricity costs
Taxes
Labor€ / Kg biomass
CAPEX & OPEX
NER
Sensitivity Analysis
Areas to focus
Output
Location
Cultivation
System
Empirical data
Specific
parameters
Input
Product costs - biomass production
[Applied Biotechnology / Microalgae]
Projections 100ha
Cost breakdown: cultivation costs
[Applied Biotechnology / Microalgae]
Sensitivity analysis
[Applied Biotechnology / Microalgae]
Biomass composition: benchmark on Nannochloropsis
N-replete N-limited
Lipids 20% 50%
SF
A*
MU
FA
*
PU
FA
*
SF
A*
MU
FA
*
PU
FA
*
Glyco-, Phospho-lipids 12% 35% 30% 35%
10% 45% 40% 15%
Triacylglycerides 2% 37.5%
Waxes 3% 1.25% Sterols 3% 1.25%
Proteins 50% 30% Water soluble 20% 12%
Non-water soluble 30% 18%
Carbohydrates 20% 15%
Monosaccharides 5% 3% Polysaccharides 15% 12%
Pigments 3% 1%
Ashes 7% 4%
Microalgae
Lipids
Proteins
WaxesSterols
CosmeticHealth care
Biopolymer
Surfactants
Biolubricant
Paint, Coating
TAGGlyco-lipids
Phospho-lipids
Soluble proteins
Un-solubleproteins
Pharma
Bulk chemicals
Food additives
Food/Feed
BiodieselBiokeroseneBioethanolBiobutanolBiomethane
Carbohydrates
Mono- Oligo-saccharides
StarchCellulose
Mark
et d
em
an
d
Sellin
gp
rice
Ash/minerals
PigmentsChlorophyllCarotenoidPhycobilins
Microalgal biorefinery
Microalgal biorefinerydesign and techno-economical analysis
Biomassproductivity
Biomass composition
Utilities cost
(energy, labour)
Mass andenergy balances
CAPEX
OPEX
Microalgal biomass
Disrupted Biomass
Hexane
Isopropanol
Polar lipids
TAG
Pigments
Waxes
50 C
1 bar
Hexane
Isopropanol
Water
Water
Ash
non water soluble proteins
proteins
carbohydrates
0.4 bar
I.1) BEADM ILLING
III.1) LIPID EXTRACTORIII.2) DISTILLATION COLUM N
FOR SOLVENT RECOVERYIII.3) DECANTER FOR
WAXES REM OVAL
2 C
III.4b) BLEACHING FOR PIGM ENT REM OVAL
IV.1) DIAFILTRATION FOR
PROTEINS WASHING
IV.2) SPARY DRIER
FOR PROTEINS/CARBOHYDRATES
Waxes
Steam
Pigment
Polar lipids
TAG
III.0) SPRAY DRIER
Proteins
Carbohydrates
Ash
Microalgal biorefinerydesign and techno-economical analysis
Food/feed
Microalgal biorefinerydesign and techno-economical analysis
Biofuel
P-14 / R-101
Stoich. Reaction
Microalgal biomass
Disrupted Biomass
Hexane
Isopropanol
Polar lipids
TAG
Pigments
Waxes
50 C
1 bar
Hexane
Isopropanol
FAME
Glycerol
Pigments
Sterols
NaOH
Methanol
Methanol
NaOH
Water
Water
Ash
non water soluble proteins
Proteins
Carbohydrates
Ash
2 bar
60 C
30 min
0.4 bar0.4 bar
WaterFAME
Sterols
Pigments
Glycerol
H3PO4 Na3PO4
I.1) BEADM ILLING
III.1) LIPID EXTRACTORIII.2) DISTILLATION COLUM N
FOR SOLVENT RECOVERYIII.3) DECANTER FOR
WAXES REM OVAL
2 C
III.4) BATCH REACTOR
FOR TRANSESTERIFICATION
III.5) EVAPORATION/CONDENSATION
FOR M ETHANOL RECOVERY
III.6) EXTRACTOR FOR
GLYCEROL WASHING
IV.1) DIAFILTRATION FOR
PROTEINS WASHING
IV.2) SPRAY DRIER
FOR PROTEINS/CARBOHYDRATES
Waxes
III.0) SPRAY DRIER
Proteins
Carbohydrates
Microalgal biorefinerydesign and techno-economical analysis
P-14 / R-101
Stoich. Reaction
Microalgal biomass
Disrupted Biomass
PEG
PEG
water soluble Proteins
Polysaccharides
Monosaccharides
Phosphate
PEG
Hexane
Isopropanol
Polar lipids
TAG
Pigments
Waxes
50 C
1 bar
Hexane
Isopropanol
FAME
Glycerol
Pigments
Sterols
NaOH
Methanol
Methanol
NaOH
Water
Water
Ash
non water soluble proteins
non water soluble proteins
non water soluble proteins
Ash
2 bar
60 C
30 min
0.4 bar
0.4 bar
water soluble Proteins
Polysaccharides
Monosaccharides
Phosphate
PBS buffer
Monosaccharides
water soluble Proteins
WaterFAME
Sterols
Pigments
Glycerol
H3PO4 Na3PO4
1 kDa
Phosphate
II.1) DIRECT PROTEIN
EXTRACTOR
I.1) BEADM ILLING
II.2) BACKWARD PROTEIN
EXTRACTOR II.7) DIAFILTRATION UNIT FOR
PROTEINS/POLYSACCHARIDES
FRACTIONATIONII.3) ULTRAFILTRATION UNIT FOR
PROTEIN/POLYSACCHARIDES
CONCENTRATION
II.9) SPRAY DRIER FOR POLYSACCHARIDES
Polysaccharides
II.4) ULTRAFILTRATION UNIT
FOR PHOSPHATE RECOVERY
II.6) SPRAY DRIER
FOR PHOSPHATE CONCENTRATION
III.1) LIPID EXTRACTORIII.2) DISTILLATION COLUM N
FOR SOLVENT RECOVERYIII.3) DECANTER FOR
WAXES REM OVAL
2 C
III.4) BATCH REACTOR
FOR TRANSESTERIFICATION
III.5) EVAPORATION/CONDENSATION
FOR M ETHANOL RECOVERY
III.6) EXTRACTOR FOR
GLYCEROL WASHING
IV.1) DIAFILTRATION FOR
PROTEINS WASHING
IV.2) SPRAY DRIER
FOR PROTEINS
1 kDa300 kDa
Waxes
10 kDa
Water
II.10) SPRAY DRIER FOR WATER SOLUBLE PROTEIN
II.8) DIAFILTRATION UNIT FOR
PROTEINS/M ONOSACCHARIDES
FRACTIONATION
Complete biorefinery
Biorefinery costs
Cost breakdown
Biorefinery costs
Market value of biomass
Market value of biomass
€ 3.4
+
€ 0.9
€ 4.3
€ 3.4
+
€ 1.1
€ 5.5
€ 3.4
+
€ 0.9
€ 4.3
€ 3.4
+
€ 2.9
€6.3
€ 3.4
+
€ 2.9
€ 6.3
€ 3.4
+
€ 3.0
€ 6.4
Cultivation costs
South of Spain
Biorefinery costs
Total costs
Market value of biomass
€ 3.4
+
€ 0.9
€ 4.3
€ 0.5
+
€ 1.1
€ 1.6
€ 0.5
+
€ 0.9
€ 1.4
€ 3.4
+
€ 2.9
€6.3
€ 3.4
+
€ 2.9
€ 6.3
€ 3.4
+
€ 3.0
€ 6.4
Cultivation costs
South of Spain
Biorefinery costs
Total costs
Scale - Salmon as example
• Objective: replace 10% of fish meal with algae
• There is a proof of concept
1.26 milliontonnes of
Atlantic salmon
1.6 million tonnes of feed
0.16 million tonnes of
algae
Without algae With algae
Scale - Salmon as example• Objective: replace 10% of fish meal with algae
• Productivity: 14-28 (57*) ton ha-1 y-1
• solar conditions Norway / greenhouse + illum.
• 150-300 days cultivation per year
• Hectare needed: 5621-11915 ha
59-119 km2
• Current scale worldwide: ~40.000 ha
1.26 million
tonnes 1.6 million
tonnes
0.16 million
tonnes
Land - County - Area [km2]
Norway - only land 307 860
Østfold 4 181
Akershus 4 918
Oslo 454
Hedmark 27 398
Oppland 25 192
Buskerud 14 911
Vestfold 2 225
Telemark 15 296
Aust-Agder 9 158
Vest-Agder 7 277
Rogaland 9 376
Hordaland 15 438
Sogn og Fjordane 18 623
Møre og Romsdal 15 101
Sør-Trøndelag 18 839
Nord-Trøndelag 22 415
Nordland 38 482
Troms 25 863
Finnmark 48 631
Bergen 446
Sotra 179
Algae – Needed for feed 59-119
[Applied Biotechnology / Microalgae]
Main inputs in the process
• 1.8 tons of CO2 is needed
• 0.09 ton N
• 0.01 ton P
• micronutrients
To produce 1 ton of algal biomass:
CO2
Nutrients
(nitrogen, phosphor)
H2O
Scale - Salmon as example
• Objective: replace 10% of fish meal with algae
• Nutrients needed:
• 293 400 tons CO2
• 14 670 ton N
• 1 630 ton P
• TCM captures 100 000 ton CO2 per year
• Yara produces in Norway alone 2,7 million ton NPK yearly
BUT
• There are other sources as well....
1.26 million
tonnes 1.6 million
tonnes
0.16 million
tonnes
CO2
Fish manure
Insects
Insectmanure
MunicipalityBiodegradable
Waste
CO2
Fish manureInsect manureMunicipality Biodegradable Waste
First experiments
We need:
• More robust strains
• a.o. higher productivity, temperature range
• Smart production chain
• Integration with waste streams
• Market development products
[Applied Biotechnology / Microalgae]
Product costs
Scale
Production chain analysis
Market development
Conclusions
• Microalgae can be used for food/feed/chemicals
and fuels as a by-product
• Decrease of costs and increase of scale
necessary
• E.g.: grow on various residual streams
They form a perfect link between the bioeconomy
and the circular economy
[Applied Biotechnology / Microalgae]
Tusen takk!
Spørsmål?
[Applied Biotechnology / Microalgae]