The document proposes the Sustainable Urban Biofuel Network (SUBNET) which would convert abandoned or underutilized buildings in cities into indoor vertical algae farms to produce aviation biofuels. The SUBNET aims to address issues with fossil fuel use by airlines by enabling sustainable biofuel production without competing for land. It would utilize advanced hydroponic farming techniques with an estimated yield over 5,000 gallons of fuel per acre. The SUBNET could provide environmental, economic and social benefits while demonstrating a new approach to biofuel production in urban areas. An initial proof of concept is proposed in the Chicago area near O'Hare airport.

1. Sustainable Urban Biofuel Network
(SUBNET)
Team 7—Aviation Biofuels Assignment
Summer Institute on Sustainability and Energy (SISE)
August 17, 2012

2. Project Team
• Michael Blauvelt
• Mark Leno, MA Int’l Relations
University of Chicago ’09
• Kyle Jacobs, PhD Candidate, Mechanical
Engineering, UIUC
• Zhenyu Hou
• Maciej Wachala

3. Problems and Issues
r
US airlines consumed
over 10M gallons of
fossil-fuels in 2011

4. So What Should We Do?
Enable sustainable production of biofuels through algae farming
Gallons/
Crop
Acre
Soybean 48
Rapeseed 127
Jatropha 202
Palm Oil 635
5,000-
Algae
10,000

5. The Innovation:
Sustainable Urban
Biofuel Network
(SUBNET)
• 1000s of abandoned or underutilized buildings
throughout US cities
• High US urban unemployment—(65
metropolitan areas including Chicago over June
2012 national average of 8.4%)
• Vertical indoor farming has potential to yield
at least 5-15x more oil than traditional outdoor
farming

6. Proposed Solution: Sustainable Urban
Biofuel Network (SUBNET)
• What is it? Production of aviation-grade
biofuels from advanced urban sustainable
facilities
• How does it work? The SUBNET consists of
abandoned or underutilized buildings
converted to algae biofuel production facilities
• Why do it? Innovative, more beneficial
biofuel production without most conventional
drawbacks
*the growing of plants in nutrient solutions with or without an inert medium (as soil) to provide
mechanical support (Merriam-Webster)

7. Attempted Solutions
• Research into crops which do not compete
with food (second generation biofuels)
 1st Generation (e.g. corn, rapeseed, sugarcane)
 2nd Generation (e.g algae, camelina, jatropha, halopyhtes)
• Military and civil aviation approval of aviation
biofuel blends
• Ongoing R&D, primarily on conventional
outdoor farming of various crops and algae

8. SUBNET Core Technologies
• High yield biofuels via algae farming
 estimated yield 6000 gallons/acre for flat farming, will be
more for vertical farming
• Advanced hydroponics—vertical film farming
 Closed loop systems with waste water
 Uses approximately 95% less water than outdoor farming
 CO2 obtained from local industry or powerplant
• Integrates with other Renewable Energy
Technologies
 Anaerobic digestion and PV for power generation
 Energy efficient LED and solid state light
 Energy efficient building renovations
 Potential for smart metering and power usage

9. Sun Conceptual SUBNET Production Facility (Farm)
PV Panels
Grid
LED Light
Algae
Electricity
Feedstock
(or Algae itself)
Gasification
CO2 and
waste water
Truck w/
Harvest
Algae
Feedstock
Refinery
Urban
waste/garbage
containing sugar

10. Conceptual SUBNET Diagram
Airport
Small
Production Large Production
Facility Facility
Refinery
Small Large
Production Production
Facility Facility
Small
Production Large
Facility Small Small Production
Production Production Facility
Facility Facility

11. Potential Barriers to SUBNETs
• Capital cost—potentially higher initial
from building retrofits
• Competition with low-cost fossil fuels
• Change—a different approach from
traditional large scale farming

12. Environmental and Technological
Benefits
ENVIRONMENTAL
TECHNOLOGICAL
• Sustainable, renewable • Innovative technology
energy integration plan
• Environmentally- • Less vulnerable to
friendly biofuel weather and pests
production • Potential to reduces
• Conserve natural biofuel research risk
resources and costs
• Increase urban • Potential urban
sustainability renewable energy
testbed

13. Economic and Sociopolitical Benefits
• Provides local jobs, especially • Energy Security
SOCIOPOLITCAL
in urban areas • Food Security
• Multiple purpose • Urban sustainability
buildings, diverse revenue
ECONOMIC
awareness and culture
streams • Does not compete with
• Green tax credits and farmland and natural areas
incentives • Urban renewal and improved
• Crop and product flexibility quality of life
• Reduces supply chain costs • Reduces crime, fire
and emissions prevention, and other costs
• Diversified revenue of abandoned buildings
streams—shops, restaurants • Widespread appeal to
diverse groups and interests

14. Proposed Path Forward
• Initial SUB-C Proof of Concept Demonstration in
Chicagoland area
 Proximity to O’Hare, a major international aviation hub
 Initial plan to supply select United Airlines flights
 Vast potential to expand domestically and internationally
 Large numbers of abandoned buildings and high unemployment
• Business Plan and Policy Recommendations
 Public-private partnership organized by United-affiliated start-
up company
 Recommend that federal, state, and local governments provide
property and other tax breaks as applicable to SUBNET
properties
 Recommend that federal, state, and local governments provide
seed grants and initial subsidies to SUBNETs
• Based on outcome and lessons learned from pilot
project, decide on whether to develop additional SUBNETs

15. Where could the SUBNET Take Us?
Today’s urban wastelands could be tomorrow’s
catalysts for economic growth and a more
sustainable future

16. Back Up Slides

17. SUBNET vs. Other Conventional Biofuel
Production
SUBNET Conventional Production
 Scalable • Large Areas of Open Land
 Crop Flexible • Crop Specific
 Minimal land and water • Resource-intensive
 Multiple uses and • Single or few revenue
revenue streams streams
 Year round production • Seasonal production
 Produced near major • Produced away from major
airports or large markets airports or large markets
 Appeals to many urban • Appeals to fewer
stakeholders stakeholders

18. Example of Potential Pilot Site
• South Chicago, Illinois
• Population: 31, 200
• Chicago-area unemployment rate above national
average at 9.3% (as of June 2012)
• 30 miles from O’Hare International Airport
• 193 abandoned buildings in South Chicago in a dense
area
• Most commercial development is found on one street
(Commercial Avenue) – privately owned restaurants and
clothing stores
• The City of Chicago is investing in “sustainable”
development projects in the neighborhood

19. Location of South Chicago

20. Abandoned Buildings in South Chicago