07_Woods Roundtable 2012

7/24/2019 07_Woods Roundtable 2012

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The Algenol DIRECT TO ETHANOL Process

Paul Woods, Dan Kramer, and Ron Chance

Presented at the Bundesalgenstammtisch 5th

Federal Algae Roundtable Meeting

March 26, 2012

Major Drivers for Biofuels Incremental Energy Supply Needs

Adds another significant, less cost-volatile, component to energy portfolio

Contributes to energy diversity and energy independence

Climate Change

Biofuels: Drivers and Issues

Potential for a low carbon footprint

Potentially a low risk carbon mitigation strategy

Environment

Potential for lower fresh water use than fossil fuels

Potential to be cleaner than fossil fuels

Major Issues for Biofuels Competition with Food Supply

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an se rec an n rec

Fresh Water Use

Economics Relative to Fossil Fuels

Carbon Footprint Relative to Fossil Fuels

Adapted from USEPA Renewable Fuel Standards - 2009

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The Biofuels Family

1st Generation Sugarcane or corn to ethanol

Competes with food supply

Major land use and water use issues

Low to moderate impact on greenhouse gas emissions

Generally not cost-competitive with fossil fuels

2nd Generation

Cellulosic fuels and crop based biodiesel

May be less competitive with food supply

Significant land use and water use issues

Generally positive impact on greenhouse gas emissions

Economics still to be proven

3rd Generation (Advanced) Algae to biodiesel and/or ethanol

No competit ion with food

Little or no land use or water use issues

Positive impact on greenhouse gas emissions

Economics still to be proven

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3

Background Algae Cultivation

Eukaryotic Algae and Cyanobacteria Photoautotrophscarry out photosynthesis (sunlight, CO2,

and water to organic molecules)

Much higher productivity than larger plants (~30x)

10s of thousands of known species including blue greenalgae (cyanobacteria)

Commercial production of high value products

Aquatic Species Program (NREL 1980-95) Focus on bio-diesel production from harvested algae

Favored Open Pond vs. Closed Systems

Pilot plant in New Mexico

Major issues with economics and contamination

Current Status Biofuel Production

Open Ponds (Raceway Design)Microalgae to High Value Products

Cyanotech, Big Island, Hawaii

Numerous algae-to-fuels companies

Almost all based on production from harvested algae

Mixture of open pond and closed systems

None with demonstrated commercial viability for biofuelsRaceway Pond Design fr omAquatic Species Program

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Algenol Overview

Algenol is an advanced industrial biotechnology company

Headquartered in Bonita Springs, Florida

Research labs in Fort Myers, Florida and Berlin,Germany

150 employees including 60 Ph.D.s

2 CO2 + 3 H2O

C2H5OH + 3 O2

Algenol is commercializing its patented algae technologyplatform for ethanol production and green chemistry

$25MM DOE grant for Integrated Biorefinery

Phase 2 began with ground breaking 3Q11

New Fort Myers, Florida facility which consolidatesAlgenols existing U.S. lab and outdoor testing facilities

Lab operations began in early August 2010

50,000 ft2 of biology and engineering lab space

Direct To Ethanol technology

4 acre outdoor Process Development Unit

36 acre outdoor demonstration facility, including 17acres for Integrated Biorefinery

Process Development Unit

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Metabolically enhanced cyanobacteria, CO2 and solar energy to produce ethanolProduction targets : 6000 gal/acre-yr (57,000 L/hectare-yr), $1 per gal

DIRECT TO ETHANOL Commercial Vision

2 CO2 + 3 H2O C2H5OH + 3 O2

CO2 can be sourced from: Return Water

Power Plant Refinery or Chem. Plant Cement Plant Natural Gas Well Ambi ent Ai r

Closed photob ioreactors (seawater)Very low f reshwater consumptionNo-harvest strategyEthanol collected from vapor phase

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The Algenol Team in Berlin

At Cyano Biofuels we have45 employees to date,Berlin (Germany)

with a combined 280 years ofcyanobacterial research experience.

We work on a floor space of 1.000 m

Focused onscreening andgeneration ofEtOH producers

with . different s ra ns.

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Biological Carbon Platform

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Why cyanobacteria?

Cyanobacteria are primary producers (photoautotrophs)

They grow in inorganic media and have a higher productivity than land-based crops.

3.5 billion years old, inhabiting all ecological niches with thousands of different

genera/species/strains

They tolerate EtOH, as well as high salt and temperature conditions.

Cyanobacteria naturally produce EtOH under anoxic conditions.

Cyanobacteria can be enhanced

Molecular tools, as well as transformable strains are available and transformation

protocols are established.

Cyanobacteria-based biofuels do not require:

Food feedstocks

Fresh water

Farmland

Fossil fuel fertilizer

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Why Ethanol ?

Ethanol is the ideal product for benchmarking Algenols technology:

Proof of concept in 1997 by Professor John Coleman (Algenols CSO)

Ethanol synthesis is directly linked to photosynthetic carbon fixation


Low photon demand: approximately 24 per one molecule ethanol (theoretical)

Ethanol evaporates into the gas phase under production conditions in a continuous process

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Metabolic Pathway for Ethanol Production

Metabolically enhanced cyanobacteria, photobioreactors, and ethanol separation systems

are key, propr ietary components of the Algenol t echnology.

Enhanced ethanol production via over-expression o f fermentation pathw ay enzymes

These enzymes, pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), are

2 CO2 + 3 H2O C2H5OH + 3 O2

.

PDC catalyzes the non-oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate to produce acetaldehyde.

ADH converts acetaldehyde to ethanol.

Ethanol diffuses from the cell into the culture medium and is collected without the need

to destroy the algae.

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pyruvateRuBP

CO2

3PGA 2PGA PEP

lactate

ATPADP

ATPADP

NADH

+ H+

NAD+

H2O

PDCPGM ENO PYK

RuBisCo

Metabolic Pathway for Ethanol Production

Direct l inkage of EtOH synthesis to carbon fixation: Only 5 enzymatic steps !

ADH

acetyl CoA

acetaldehyde

OAA

citrate

isocitrate

malate

fumarateG6P

G1P

Ru5P

gluconate-6P

acetylP

1,3bisPGA

TrioseP

F6P

FBP

ATP

ADP

ATP

ADP

NADPH+ H+

NADP+

NAD+

+ Pi

NADH + H+

ATP

ADP

NAD+NADH + H

+

+

NADH + H+

NADH + H+

NAD+

CO2

NADPH+ H+

NADP+

NADPH+ H+

NADP+

CO2

ATP

NADPH + H+

NADP+

CO2

NAD+

CO2 H2O

Pi

H2O

H2O

HS-CoA

H2O

H2OH2O

Pi Pi

HS-CoA

ADP

NADPH + H+

NADP+

EtOH

Calvin

cycle

TCA

cycle

PP way

glycolysisCO2

2-OG

succinateADP-Glc

glycogen

cyanophycin

acetate

Gluamino

acids

NADPH + H+

CO2

PP

ADP

Pi

ATP

acetoacetylCoA

pHBSimplified network of central carbohydrate

metabolism in cyanobacteria

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Photosynthetic Efficiency and Productivity Targets

Ethanol Production Target

Algenol target is 6000 gal/acre-yr Corn is about 400 gal/acre-yr; sugarcane about

1000

Target corresponds to roughly 2% solar energyconversion efficiency (all % referenced to averageU solar radiation

Efficiency similar to commercial biomassconversion for Chlorella (food supplements) as wellas conventional crops

Equivalent to about 20 g/m2 biomass production,with up to 70 having been observed in thelaboratory

Absolute theoretical limit (8 photons per C fixed) isabout 40,000 gal/acre-yr of ethanol or about 130g/m2 of biomass

Algenol Process Developm ent Un it

Potential Yield Limi tations

Light (photosaturation, photoinhibition)

Diversion of fixed carbon to non-ethanol pathways

Contaminants

CO2 and/or Nutrient supply

Photosaturation Illustration(Melis, Plant Science (2009)

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Photobioreactor Technology

Algenol grows ethanologeniccyanobacteria in patented

hotobioreactors PBRs which allow

Metabolically enhanced cyanobacteria, photob ioreactors, and ethanol separation systemsare key, propr ietary components of the Algenol technology.

for optimum solar transmission andefficient ethanol collection

Made of polyethylene withspecial additives and coatings

to optimize performance 4500 liter seawater culture

15m long X 1.5m wide

Ethanol-freshwater condensate iscollected from photobioreactors andconcentrated to feedstock-grade orfuel-grade ethanol using acombination of Algenol proprietaryand conventional technology.

EtOH Separation EtOH Separation

First step in purification process is accomplished with solar energyand provides a clean, ethanol-freshwater solution.

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Laboratory to Photobioreactor

Algenol has the capability to move biologyand engineering from the lab scale to thefield at one site

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Algenol s No Harvest Strategy

Photobioreactors are much more effective than open ponds

Key advantages of Algenols patented

photobioreactors

Condensate collection rocess muchmore energy efficient than open ponds

Water usage reduced to essentiallyzero compared to huge losses in open

ponds

Closed system provides protectionfrom environmental contamination

Individual native cyanobacteria (blue-green

algae) actively and continuously grown for

almost 2.5 years in our outdoor

photobioreactors in Florida

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Photo-Bioreactor

0.5 2 wt%

Ethanol Purification Technology

Vapor CompressionSteam Stripping

Conventional Dist.Vapor Compression Dist.

Membrane Separation

5 20 wt%

90 - 95 wt%

EtOH Separation EtOH Separation

0,10

0,12

0,14

EtOH(atm)

Ethanol vapor pressure

at 35C

Ethanol-Water Phase Diagram

Mol SieveExtract. Dist.Membrane

99.7% Fuel Grade0,00

0,02

0,04

0,06

,

0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1

partialpressureof

mole fraction of EtOH in water

Raoult's law (e = w = 1)

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Energy Demand for Direct to Ethanol Process

VCSS is the largest energy consumer

Energy demand depends strongly onethanol concentration in condensate*

At 1% condensate, VCSS representsabout 20% parasitic load

Energy demand for mixing, gasdelivery, pumping, etc. added in*

Total system energy demand plottedvs. condensate concentration fordifferent dehydration options**

0,20

0,30

0,40

0,50

0,60

ergyConsumption(MJ/M

J)

0,20

0,30

0,40

0,50

0,60

EnergyConsumption(M

J/MJ) VCSS+Distillation+MolSieve

VCSS+Vapor

Compression

Distillation

+

Mol

Sieve

VCSS+Membrane

Energy Consumption Determined by Process Simulations (GaTech*,**)(Input to Lif e Cycle Analysis)

0,00

0,10

0,0 1,0 2,0 3,0 4,0 5,0 6,0

VCSSEn

wt%EthanolinCondensate

0,00

0,10

0,0 1,0 2,0 3,0 4,0 5,0 6,0TotalProces

wt%EthanolinCondensate

*D. Luo, Z. Hu, D. Choi, V. Thomas, M. Realff, and R. Chance, Env. Sci. & Tech., 2010, 44 pp 86708677**D. Luo, Z. Hu, D. Choi, V. Thomas, M. Realff, B. McCool and R. Chance, unpublished results

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Carbon Footprint by Life Cycle Analysis(Peer reviewed Publication)

Published in Environmental Science &Technology Journal

Renewable Fuel Standard is met in allCellulosic Renewable Fuel Standard

.

LCA, along with techno-economic analysis,is important part of the evaluation of newtechnology options

LCA study is designed to be evergreen continuously updated as part of our DOEproject.

Life Cycle Analysis Appears in: D. Luo, Z. Hu, D. Choi, V. Thomas, M. Realff, and

R. Chance, Env. Sci. & Tech., 2010, 44 pp 86708677.

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Acknowledgements Algenol Employees

FloridaStaffMembers

BerlinStaff

em ers

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Linde AG Hans Kinstenmacher

Mathias Mostertz

Martin Pottmann

Gerhard Lauermann

MTR

Richard Baker Ivy Huang

Doug Gottlisch

Acknowledgements External Organizations

Humboldt University

Thomas Brner Wolfgang Lockau

Ralf Steuer

Giessen UniversityNational Renewable Energy Lab

Phil Pienkos

Jianping Yu

Thieny Trinh

Ling Tao

eorg a ec Matthew Realff (ChBE)

Valerie Thomas (ISyE)

Bill Koros (ChBE)

University of Freiburg Wolfgang Hess

This material is based upon work supported in part by theDepartment o f Energy under Aw ard Number DE-FOA-0000096.

Part of this material is basedupon work supported by the

This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United StatesGovernment. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof,nor any of their employees,makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy,completeness, orusefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or representsthat its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to anyspecific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer,or otherwisedoes not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the UnitedStates Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do notnecessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.

Education and Research FORSYS Systems Biologyof Cyanobacterial BiofuelProduction

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07_Woods Roundtable 2012

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