Unit title: Ventilation and Cooling; Water and Waste Presentation title: Can human sewage provide the feedstock for biodiesel production by photoautotrophic microalgae? Unit number: A3 Unit date: November12 th 2008 Presentation date: January 11 th 2008 Student name: Craig Embleton Student number: 0750553 Seminar group: 1 (Melissa Taylor) e-mail: [email protected]website: www.greenfrontier.org
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Unit title: Ventilation and Cooling; Water and Waste
Presentation title: Can human sewage provide the feedstock for biodiesel production by photoautotrophic microalgae? Unit number: A3Unit date: November12th 2008Presentation date: January 11th 2008 Student name: Craig EmbletonStudent number: 0750553Seminar group: 1 (Melissa Taylor) e-mail: [email protected]: www.greenfrontier.org
ecosystems and human health• Conventional biofuel production wrecks
terrestrial ecosystems and competes with food production
Marine pollution
‘Discharge of untreated domestic wastes is a major source of marine pollution, and perhaps the most serious problem within the framework of the Global Programme of Action’.
Source: United Nations Environment Programme report into the state of the marineenvironment, 2006
1.5 million deaths/year from diarrhoeal diseases attributable to poor sanitation
and hygiene
Source: United Nations Environment Programme, 2006,WHO, 2006
.’
Children playing near sewage outlets
The Trouble with Conventional Biofuel
Indonesia currently has:
60,000 square kms of oil palm plantations
Plans for another 40,000 by 2015
dedicated to biofuel production alone.
Size of Wales: 21,588 square kilometres• Rainforest destroyed.• Huge amounts of fertilizers used.• No reduction in greenhouse gases.• Food prices up.
Source: Benemann, J 2008
Is there a solution?Perhaps - Photoautotrophic Microalgae
Source: Shell, 2008
What nutrients do algal require to grow?
Source: Mara, D 2004
Algal Photosynthesis
106CO2 + 236H2O + 16NH4+ + HPO4
2-
C106H181O45N16P + 118O2 + 171H2O + 14H+
Major Nutrients: Nitrogen and Phosphorus
What nutrients are in human waste?(Per person per day)
Source: Harper, P. and Halestrap, L. 1999
Per adult per day
Faeces Urine
Nitrogen 3g 8g
Phosphorus 2g 2g
Potassium 1g 2g
Calcium 2g 2g
Source: Benemann, J 2008
Waste Stabilisation Ponds
Sewage treatment: algal-bacterial mutualism in waste stabilisation ponds
Source: Mara, 2004
BOD =BiochemicalOxygenDemand
Source: Sheehan, J et al 1998
U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Fuels Development funded the ASP that ran from 1978-1996
• Focussed on production of biodiesel from algae grown in ponds, using waste CO2 from
coal-fired power plants.• The early studies used sewage ponds.• Later studies used fresh and marine water
ponds with the addition of agricultural fertilizers.
Aquatic Species Programme (ASP)
Source: Sheehan, J et al 1998
Programme concluded:Many R&D obstacles but in theory 2,000 square kilometres of climatically suitable land areas in the U.S. could produce one quadrillion (1,000,000,000,000) British Thermal Units (BTU) of fuel.
Programme stopped for economic reasons.CHEAP OIL!
Aquatic Species Programme (ASP)
Oil yields of crops
Crop Oil yield (L/ha)
Maize 172
Soybean 446
Oil seed rape 1190
Jatropha 1892
Oil palm 5950
Microalgae grown in raceway ponds.
17,000
Source: Chisti, Y 2007 and J. Benemann, J 2008
Source: Chisti, Y 2007
Most algae commercially produced in raceway ponds (Arial View)
Most algae commercially produced in raceway ponds as premium food
• Wastewater (sewage) can be used.• Expensive agricultural fertilizers
avoided.
• No addition of CO2 needed but could
use flue gases from fossil fuel power
stations.
Source: Aquaflow 2008
Fuel from sewage pond algae
Proof of concept by AquaflowPowered a vehicle with a 5% biofuel mix
CAN HUMAN SEWAGE PROVIDE THE FEEDSTOCK
FOR BIODIESEL PRODUCTION BY PHOTOAUTOTROPHIC
MICROALGAE?
Conclusions
Yes – but not yet economically.Much more research needed and tax breaks.
Source: Spolaore, P et al, 2005
Issues - Does algal-biodiesel really not compete with food production?
Commodity Protein Carbohydrate Lipid
Meat 43 1 34
Milk 26 38 28
Rice 8 77 2
Spirulina maxima
60–71 13–16 6–7
General composition of different human foodsources and algae (% of dry matter)
Issues - Will algal biodiesel perpetuate ouroil addiction?
• What about electric cars?• What about transitioning to a low carbon
economy?• How about using algae to capture carbon
and incorporate in soil or bury?
Questions?
• Aquaflow bionomic corporation limited. (2008). Prospectus and investment statement for aquaflow bionomic corporation limited. Available: http://www.aquaflowgroup.com/documents/ProspectusandInvestmentStatement_001.pdf. Last accessed 31 December 2008.
• Benemann, J. (2008). Open ponds and closed photobioreactors – comparative economics. Available: http://www.bio.org/ind/wc/08/breakout_pdfs/20080430/Track1_ContinentalA/Session9_230p400pm/Benemann_Continental_A_Wed.pdf. Last accessed 1 January 2009.
• Broere, W. (2008). Harvesting energy from algae. Available: http://www-static.shell.com/static/aboutshell/downloads/swol/jan_mar_2008/algae/algae_en.pdf. Last accessed 30 December 2008.
Bibliography
• Catherine Brahic. (2008). Europe unveils ambitious energy plan . Available: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn13218-europe-unveils-ambitious-energy-plan.html. Last accessed 27 December 2008.
• Coordination Office of the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (gpa) of the United Nations Environment Programme. (2006). The State of the Marine Environment. Available: http://www.gpa.unep.org/documents/soe_-_trends_and_english.pdf. Last accessed 26 December 2008
Bibliography Continued
• Harper, P. and Halestrap, L. (1999) Lifting the Lid. Powys, CAT.
• Mara, D (2004). Domestic Wastewater Treatment in Developing Countries. London: Earthscan. 3. Available (preview) http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=d9O9Gw_3rOUC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0 Last accessed 27 December 2008.
• Pearce, F. and Aldhous, P.. (2007). Is the biofuel dream over?. Available: http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19626343.800. Last accessed 23 December 2008.
Bibliography Continued
• Sheehan, J., T. Dunahay, J. Benemann, and P. Roessler (1998). A Look Back at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Aquatic Species Program-Biodiesel from Algae. U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Fuels Development. Prepared by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado . Available: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass/pdfs/biodiesel_from_algae.pdf. Last accessed 20 November 2008
• Spolaore, P., Joannis-Cassan, C., Duran, E., and Isambert, A. (2006). Commercial applications of microalgae. Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering, 101(2):87-96.
• World Health Organisation. (2006). Analysis of estimates of the environmental attributable fraction, by disease. Available: http://www.who.int/entity/quantifying_ehimpacts/publications/preventingdisease5.pdf. Last accessed 27 December 2008.