This document discusses the potential for algae to serve as an energy source. It notes that algae have several advantages over traditional crops for fuel production, including higher photosynthetic efficiency and the ability to grow in saline water. However, challenges remain in developing cost-effective large-scale production methods. Open ponds are currently the most widely used cultivation method but are over 10 times too expensive, while bioreactors can produce high-value products but are over 100 times too expensive for fuel. The document outlines requirements for an algae startup and suggests that further research is still needed to optimize strains and cultivation methods to make algal biofuels commercially viable.

1. Algae the energy solution?
Algae – the energy solution?
Presentation by Sebastian Olényi – ESBS, may 2009

2. The energy challenge
gy g
 Oil production runs
out
 Climate warms due
to CO2
 We need more
energy
 Alternative sources
are needed
d d

3. Algae advantages
g g
 ‘Food vs. fuel’ becomes
food and fuel
 normal crops have only a
1% photosynthetic effiency,
algae at least 5%
(presumably up to 14% in
optimum conditions)
 algae have a low land
footprint, making yields of
f i ki i ld f
biomass 15times higher
than for normal crops
 can use saline water

4. The biofuel feedstock

6. Vast amount of possibilities
p

7. Requirements for an algae startup
q g p
• Top algae scientists
g p p
• Algae production experience
• Structured Programs
• Strain selection
• Cultivation development
• Extraction
• Scale‐up
• Scale up
• Product Development
gp
• Strong partner
• Capacity for Technology Risk
• Professional execution
• Professional culture
Professional culture

8. Example process
p p

9. The next steps
p
• Pilot facility
• CO2
CO2
• Access
• Competence to operate
• Sales contracts
• Vegetable Oil
• Protein/Carbohydrates
Protein/Carbohydrates
• produce ethanol, biodiesel, milk, animal feed and
compost fertilizer
p
• Commercial Plant design
• Commercial roll out plan

10. Challenges
g
 Overall challenge is to develop low‐cost high‐productivity
 production systems at scale (e.g. 1000 hectares):
d i l ( h )
 Open ponds account for > 90% current worldwide
production, but > 10 times too expensive for biofuels
d i b i i f bi f l
 Photobioreactors are excellent for high‐value products, but
>> 100 times too expensive for biofuels
i i f bi f l
 Technical challenges are mostly upstream ‐ related to algae
 biology & transition from lab to outdoors

11. Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned
 Many microalgae can accumulate neutral lipids
 All l
All algae produce lots of biomass
d l f bi
 GMO‐engineering of algae is difficult
 Diatoms and greens most promising
 No perfect strain for all climates, water types

12. Harvesting algal blooms from oceans
g g
 not energetically or cost effective
 sea water is oligotrophic have to add
nutrients like iron
 low cell densities
 Exception coastal lagoons, possible
contained environment
 E.g. Commerically Spirulina from
Lake Texcoco and cyanobacterial
blooms in Oregon ‐ again limited

13. Open‐pond approach
p p pp
 Biomass fast, easy and cheap
C
Contamination
i i
 Density
 Harvesting

14. Bioreactor‐approach
pp
 GMO‐containment
B
Better for cold regions
f ld i
 Controlled environment
 Lipid induction
 Expensive

15. So Are Microalgae a Realistic
So Are Microalgae a Realistic
Source of Biofuels?
Source of Biofuels?
 Yes
 B ill l ki i h b i R&D k h
But we are still lacking in the basic R&D to make them
viable
 I ill k i d
It will take time and money

16. Our project?
p j

17. Biology as long as possible: Biodiesel
 Ability to sustain production of
high‐oil‐yielding microalgae strains
high oil yielding microalgae strains
 Ability to extract the oil from the
algae
 Capability of converting of
microalgal oil into Biodiesel
 Identifying the high‐yielding
microalgal strains
i l l t i
 Identifying the most optimal
methods to cultivate them
th d t lti t th

18. Carbon capturing
p g
 R&D‐head Jean‐Yves Malpote is in conseil d‘administration
 Local strains are best‐fitted
 Wastewater usage?

19. Project suggestion
j gg
 Harvest and identify local strains from Strasbourg
G
Grow and select them for biomass‐production or lipid
d l h f bi d i li id
production
T
Try wastewater‐treatment
 Test genetical engineering for lipid‐content enrichment