1. fuels of the future fuels of the future
By Nurhan Dunford, FAPC Oil/Oilseed Chemist By Nurhan Dunford, FAPC Oil/Oilseed Chemist
nurhan.dunford@okstate.edu nurhan.dunford@okstate.edu
FOOD VERSUS FUEL
program was to examine the potential petroleum-based transportation fuel face tremendous challenges to stay in
of biodiesel production from high with biodiesel. production. As Oklahomans, we need
lipid-content algae grown in ponds by A number of business initiatives to explore other local resources that
utilizing waste CO2 from coal-fired are underway to bring this technology can be used as biofuel feedstock and
power plants. into commercialization. Although could help to produce biomass with
Could algae oil be an answer?
More than 3,000 strains of algae oil production technology faces high oil content. Although they are
algae were collected from sites many research and development not exploited to their full capacity yet,
in the western, the northwestern, obstacles today, resource limitations used/waste food oil, animal fat, and
and the southeastern regions of the are not barriers for viability and the canola are being explored as biodiesel
continental U.S. and Hawaii. After sustainability of the technology. feedstock in the state.
G
vigorous screening, isolation, and Building microalgae-production Could algae be a viable oil source
rowing interest in biofuels produce 1 MJ of fuel product. Use of of the transportation fuel requirement characterization efforts, the for the biodiesel industry
could put tremendous biodiesel in transportation vehicles of the U.S. with biodiesel. collection was eventually Could algae be a viable oil source for in Oklahoma? Although
pressure on agricultural also reduces CO2 emission levels Considering that about 450 million narrowed down to about 300 currently there are technical
commodities if both food significantly. Biodiesel can go into the acres is available for crop production species.
biodiesel industry in Oklahoma? Although issues to be researched before
processors and biofuel producers current fuel distribution system, which in the U.S., obviously relying on just Unfortunately, ASP was currently there are technical issues to this question can be answered
continue to compete in the same eliminates the huge cost of revamping oilseeds to replace petroleum diesel abandoned in 1996. However, be researched before this question can with certainty, in the long
market. the nationwide fuel distribution is not a viable option. The yield of the scientists who worked be answered with certainty, in the long term, Oklahoma has a great
On the other hand, better infrastructure. Hydrogen fuel and, fuel per acre needs to be as high on this project were adamant term, Oklahoma has a great potential to potential to benefit from
management of resources and to a certain extent, ethanol have the as possible for viability, economic about the potential of this algae technology. Certainly
benefit from algae technology.
diversification of agriculture to disadvantage of requiring major feasibility, and sustainability. technology and believed Oklahoma gets plenty of solar
meet feedstock needs of the biofuel changes to the current fuel distribution Plants use photosynthesis to future interest would be energy to support potential
industry could lead to growth of system. convert solar energy into chemical revived. Hence, they compiled a 328- reactors next to coal-fired power plants algae farms.
the global economy and strengthen Currently, ethanol is transported energy stored in the form of oils, page report on the research that had and ethanol-production facilities is According to the Oklahoma
agricultural industries. Inedible via trucks because it is classified as carbohydrates, and proteins. The been carried out during the 18 years an elegant approach to sequester CO2 Water Resources Board, “Oklahoma
feedstock, waste biomaterial and a flammable material and cannot plants that are most efficient at of the ASP program and posted it on released from these plants and reduce has approximately 11,611 miles
biomass that require minimal land be put into current fuel distribution converting the solar energy into the Department of Energy Web site. greenhouse emission levels. of shoreline, slightly less than the
use all should be exploited fully to pipelines. Hydrogen fuel requires a chemical energy have a better The report shows significant potential Obviously, Oklahoma is not estimated combined general (nontidal)
sustain the biofuel industry. very expensive and completely new prospect for being a viable feedstock land, water, and CO2 resources exist to a large enough oilseed- and corn- coastline of the Atlantic, Gulf, Pacific,
A strong national biofuel distribution system. for biofuel production. support this technology. producing state to meet the feedstock and Arctic Coasts (12,383 miles).
industry has very important One of the major concerns about Various types of algae are Microalgae systems use far less needs of even the local biofuel Oklahoma also has about 78,578 miles
implications in terms of improving expansion of the biodiesel industry is among the most efficient plants to water than traditional oilseed crops. industry, which has been expanding of rivers/streams (about three times the
the environment and providing that potentially feedstock production convert solar energy to chemical More importantly, many of the algal during the last couple of years. circumference of the Earth and one-
a guaranteed supply of energy would displace croplands currently energy. Macroalgae, also known as species studied in this program can Currently, Oklahoma has three large- third the distance to the moon.)”
to aid in attaining independence used for food crops. Although animal “seaweed,” are fast-growing marine grow in brackish water, which means scale biodiesel production facilities Considering that algae technology
from imported petroleum. To be fat and used/waste cooking oil have and freshwater plants. Microalgae they would not put additional demand with a total production capacity close requires less water than oilseed crops
a viable alternative, a biofuel been utilized to a smaller extent, are microscopic organisms that on freshwater supplies needed for to 15 million gallons/year. There and Oklahoma has significant water
should provide a net energy gain, soybean oil is currently the major also are found in both marine and domestic, industrial, and agricultural are three other biodiesel production resources and solar energy, it makes
have environmental benefits, be feedstock for biodiesel production freshwater environments. Microalgae use. facilities under construction that sense to direct some research and
economically competitive, and be in the U.S. Soybean oil also is an are capable of taking a waste form According to Chisti, microalgae will bring the total capacity to about development resources to examine the
producible in large quantities. important commodity product widely of carbon, or CO2, and converting it can produce between 55,000 L oil/ 40 million gallons/year. There are a potential of this technology for the
Biodiesel meets most of the used by food processors. into oil. acre and 24,000 L/acre, depending on number of small biodiesel production state.
criteria desired in a renewable fuel. In a recent article authored by Y. Between 1978 and 1996, the the oil content of microalgae strain, operations as well, but it is hard OSU, particularly the Division
The energy content of biodiesel Chisti (Biodiesel from microalgae. U.S. Department of Energy Office of which can vary between 70 percent to determine their total production of Agricultural Sciences and Natural
varies between 88 percent and 99 Biotechnol Adv (2007), doi:10.1016/j. Fuels Development funded a research and 30 percent dry weight. Soybean capacity. Currently, most of these Resources, along with the FAPC,
percent compared to petroleum biotechadv.2007.02.001), it was program know as the Aquatic produces only 180 L oil/acre. Oil from operations rely on feedstock coming has the expertise on oil processing,
diesel, depending on the feedstock estimated that about 1.5 billion acres Species Program, or ASP, to develop microalgae can easily be converted from outside the state. conversion, and engineering required
and the process used. Biodiesel of land would be needed to grow renewable transportation fuels from into biodiesel. In such a case, it would As feedstock prices continue to research and evaluate the potential
uses 0.3110 MJ of fossil energy to enough soybean to replace 50 percent algae. The main objective of the take only 1 to 3 percent of the existing to rise and availability diminishes, of this technology for Oklahoma.
U.S. crop area to replace half of the Oklahoma-based biodiesel operations
Summer 2007 7