Biodiesel From MicroalgaeA Solution for a Sustainable San Luis Obospo CountyMike Sass Eric Amendt Ryan Gleim Tim McLenegan Tim Whitacre

April 29, 2005

Outline

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

Algae Overview

Tim McLenegan Eric 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 Suns Energy (Photosynthesis)

What is needed

Sunlight CO2 Nutrients Lipids and oils Carbohydrates

Storage of Energy

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 Depletion of Nitrogen and Silicate

Nutrients

Controlling Nutrients

Nitrogen

Aids in cell division Aids in cell wall production 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

Silicate

Depleting Nutrients

The Algae Pond

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

Mass Production of Algae

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

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 2225oC (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 Exploit the countys many farms and vineyards 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

Agriculture runoff

Soda Lake

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 NRELProjections 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 NRELEngineering 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.

$ Per Barrel

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

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 $80,000 per hectare $12,000 per hectare

Pond construction

Operating Costs

NREL results Benemann and Oswald (1996)

Capital Investment

$69,000 to $104,400 per hectare $21,370 to $32,320 per hectare per year $39 to $69 per barrel $0.93 to $1.65 per gallon

Operating Costs

Algal Oil Costs

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 $1.23 - $2.65 per gallon of biodiesel

Real World

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 gallon Total CostsReturn On Investment

$800,000,000 $700,000,000 $600,000,000 $500,000,000 Total Cap Cost $400,000,000 $300,000,000 $200,000,000 $100,000,000 $0 -$100,000,000 Gallons a year Total Profit Red/Black

Gallons and Money

20 05 20 07 20 09 20 11 20 13 20 15 20 17 20 19 20 21 20 23 20 25 20 27 20 29 20 31 20 33 20 35 20 37 20 39 20 41 20 43 20 45 20 47 20 49Year

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

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

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.organix.net/organix/supercritical.htm

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

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

Base Catalyzed with Alcohol

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

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

General Process

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

Application To Our County

Ryan Gleim

Current County Bus System

CCAT and SCATTotalGas ! TG ! Gas For All Busses for 6 months # of Busses ! NB Gallons per Bus ! GPB Gallons per Day per Bus ! GPD Gallons per Acre per year ! GPA # of Acres required ! A SCAT ! 38,178.08 gallons for 5 Busses CCAT ! 104,170.11 gallons for 18 Busses TG ! SCAT ( gallons ) CCAT ( gallons ) NB ! SCAT (busses ) CCAT (busses )RTA

Fuel RequirementsTG ! 104170.11 38178.08 ! 142348.19( gallons) NB ! 5 18 ! 23 TG 142348.19 ! ! 6189.05( gallons per Bus for 6 months) GPB ! NB 23 Time ! 183 days per 6 months GPB 6189.05 ! ! 33.82( gallons per day per bus) GPD ! Time 183

Biodiesel Requirements

Using Biodiesel in current diesel busses

2(TG ) 2(142348.19) ! ! 43.8(acres ) A! GPA 6500 2(TG ) 2(142348.19) A! ! ! 21.9(acres) GPA 13000

Diesel Hybrid

GM Hybrid Bus

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

Calculations Adjusted

Using Biodiesel in HYBRID diesel busses

Hybrid fuel usageimprovement ! 60% ! 0.60 2(TG ) 2(142348.19) ! A! (1 0.60) ! 17.5(acres ) GPA 6500 2(TG ) 2(142348.19) ! A! (1 0.60) ! 8.8(acres ) GPA 13000

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