“The Solar Microalgae Industry: Then, Now, and...
Transcript of “The Solar Microalgae Industry: Then, Now, and...
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Keynote address “The Solar Microalgae Industry:
Then, Now, and Coming”John Benemann
CEO, MicroBio Engineering Inc.San Luis Obispo, California
MicroBio Engineering Inc., San Luis Obispo, California
Facilities Designs – Equipment – Wastewater Reclamation – Scientific Consulting – R&D – Life Cycle Assessments – Techno-Economic Analyses
Founded 2006, John Benemann (CEO) and Tryg Lundquist (CTO, Professor Cal Poly)
San Francisco
Los Angeles
Delhi
San Luis Obispo
Delhi, California, wastewater treatment with raceway ponds
San Francisco
Los Angeles
Two 1.4-hectare raceways
Wastewater influent (‘Facultative’) ponds
Effluent discharge to percolation beds
Wastewater inflow
Harvested algaebiomass drying beds
Delhi, CA, Algae Wastewater Treatment Plant, 1998 - present
Paddle wheels
Effluent storage/ maturation
pond
Delhi, CA. Dept. of Energy project to maximize productivity
6
0
10
20
30
40
50
Prod
uctiv
ity (g
-m2-
d)
33 g/m2-d annual average yield in small raceways with wastewater influent and resulting mixotrophic biomass growth
RecycleNutrientsEnergyWater
The RNEW® Process • CO2 addition for complete nutrient removal• Algae harvesting by bioflocculation (settling)• Biofuels co-products (anaerobic digestion, HTL, etc.)• Low cost and low energy vs. conventional treatment
Orlando Utilities Commission Stanton Energy Center (OUC-SEC ) ~900 MW Coal-fired Power Plant
Orlando Utilities Commission Stanton Energy Center (OUC-SEC ) ~900 MW Coal-fired Power Plant
LandfillLandfillLandfill
GasLandfill
Gas
BiogasBiogas
wastewater / Nutrients & water
wastewater / Nutrients & water
Coal Power Plant flue gas CO2 utilization for biogas production(MicroBio Engineering Inc, OUC-SEC, others. DOE NETL Project)
Flue Gas CO2 & Electricity
Flue Gas CO2 & Electricity
Future Algae Farm (100 ponds; 1,000 acres)
~900 MW Coal-fired Power Plant OUC-SECMicroBio Engineering Inc. (MBE, with OUC-SEC and Arizona State U.), has operated four 3.5 m2 microalgae ponds (provided by MBE) using flue gas CO2.
~900 MW Coal-fired Power Plant OUC-SECMicroBio Engineering Inc. (MBE, with OUC-SEC and Arizona State U.), has operated four 3.5 m2 microalgae ponds (provided by MBE) using flue gas CO2.
Techno-economic analysis concluded that biogas production much too expensive to replace coal. Now studying process for filamentous algae (above) cultivation for production of animal feeds
Techno-economic analysis concluded that biogas production much too expensive to replace coal. Now studying process for filamentous algae (above) cultivation for production of animal feeds
The Solar Microalgae Industry: Then, Now, and Coming Then: Chlorella, 1960s: Japan, nutritional supplements, circular ponds
Spirulina, 1970s: Mexico (carbonate pond), 1970s Thailand, raceways Dunaliella (betacarotene), 1980s: Australia, ponds; Israel raceways Haematococcus (for astaxanthin), 2000s: Israel, PBRs; Hawaii raceways
Now: Phycocyanin (food coloring) 2015 extracted from Spirulina (Earthrise). Diatoms (Cyclotella, etc.) aquaculture feeds (hatcheries, nursery)
Spirulina microfarms, France, Africa, expanding around world. Green Algae for wastewater treatment (with biofuels); Biofertilizers
Coming: Nannochloropsis,2017?, nutraceuticals, USA, China… raceways, PBRsTetraselmis, Isochrysis, Porphyridium, ?? Nutraceuticals, pigments… “AquaFeeds” – to replace fish meal and fish oil (@$2,000/t)Specialty animal feeds (carotenoids, vitamins, nutrients (@$1000/t) Commodity feeds and fuels ($<500/t )??
However, first a brief history of applied phycology, algal foods & fuels
Jackson and Ellms (1886): H2 Evolution by Anabaena cylindrica - collected from a pond,
placed into glass bottle
Jackson and Ellms (1886): H2 Evolution by Anabaena cylindrica - collected from a pond,
placed into glass bottle
“...on the arid lands ... forests of glass tubes will extend ... inside of these will take place the photochemical processes… mastered by human industry, ... make them bear even more abundant fruit than nature”
Giacomo Ciamician, Univ. Bologna Science 36: 385 1912
“…edible microscopic organisms in lakes. Every lake will become a
kettle of ready-made soup that only needs be heated. Contented
people will lie about on the shores having dinner.”
from Took - The Futurists Drum. Moscow, 1915
Velimir Khlebnikov 1885 -1922 (poet and futurist)
Algae mass culture was first investigated over sixty years ago Carnegie Institute of Washington Algae for Food Project
Jack Myers Bessel Kok
Burlew (ed.) Algae Culture from Laboratory to Pilot Plant, 1953
1956, Stanford2006, Austin, Tx
Inoculum Tubes
Plastic bag-type photobioreactors
First algal mass culture project (Chlorella), 1950
Inoculum Tubes
Plastic bag-type photobioreactors
First algal mass culture project (Chlorella), 1950
March 1954: “The time may come, and in the fairly near future at that, when you’ll walk into a restaurant and ask the waiter for an order of roastalgae.”
Technology and Culture, Vol. 38, No. 3, July 1997, pp. 608-634. https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/3106856.pdf
“…studying past predictions should build a healthy skepticism…”
Shallow, raceway mixed ponds(“High Rate Ponds”) developed by Prof. Oswald et al., U. Calif.
Berkeley, 1950s for more efficient wastewater treatment
First Wastewater treatment plant with high rate ponds, Concord, Calif., ~1960 (Precursor to Delhi, see above)
Prof. Bill Oswald, Univ. Cal Berkeley
Oswald, Golueke (1960) first proposed integrating
wastewater treatmentwith large-scale
algae biofuels production and carried out first
techno-economic analysis
Production of Microalgae for FuelsProduction of Microalgae for FuelsUS DOE Aquatic Species Program : Algae-to-Oil based on Benemann et al., 1978, 1982, UC Berkeley US DOE Aquatic Species Program : Algae-to-Oil based on Benemann et al., 1978, 1982, UC Berkeley
J. Sheehan, P. Roessler, T. Dunahay, J. WeissmanJ. Benemann
Paul Roessler prior Joe WeissmanNow at Algenol in Florida now at ExxonMobil
THE US DOE AQUATIC SPECIES PROGRAM - 1978 – 1996
In 2005 GreenFuel Technologies Inc. – MIT Campus(left picture) the trigger for algae biofuels hype boomClaimed 85% Nox,50% CO2 removal, 250,000 l oil/ha-y. Raised>$70 million. Moved to Arizona power plant (right, greenhouse) Went broke in 2009, butthat did notdiscourageinvestors
HYPE CYCLE ™Typical sequence of new technologies… also for
algal biofuels
(Green Fuel Technologies, 2005)
(2008: Algenol, Sapphire, Joule, etc.)
(by 2015)
(now?)
(when, soon? )
Algenol CEO Paul Woods Oct 2015 resigns
Lay off 45+ staff
Examples of algae biofuel companies in US. Investments~200 million each
Joule, Red Rock Biofuelsto merge, Nov 12, 2015
Layoff 60+workers…
and CEO
Both companies still operating, a year later…
40 ha biofuels demonstration plant, New Mexico –$50 million in DOE funding, >$200 million in venture investments. Plant no longer operating, is for sale.
40 ha biofuels demonstration plant, New Mexico –$50 million in DOE funding, >$200 million in venture investments. Plant no longer operating, is for sale.
Cellana (Hawaii) “ALDUO™ processMutiproduct biorefinery biofuels and feeds,
also with DOE funding
Global Algae Innovations LLC (GAI)– Hawaii Bioenergy (DOE funded project, also projecting biofuels + feeds)
Gravity fed series of ponds,up to about ~1.3 ha,
no paddle wheel mixing
Power Plant(for CO2)
”The year was 1975, and my professor in Berkeley asked me if I wanted to change the world, and I said, sure, lets grow algae, that started it…”
(Largest algal biofuels project, $300 million? with Synthetic Genomics)
TV spot, 2010-11
Charlie Rose: “in a 2009 joint venture with J. Craig Venter’s Synthetic Genomics, Exxon predicted it could produce fuels in 5 to 10 years …”
Rex Tillerson: “Exxon is at Least 25 Years away from making fuel from algae ” … “We’ve come to understand some limits of that technology, or limits as we understand it today, which doesn’t mean it’s limited forever” 12/12/2016 Tillerson selected as US. Secretary of State!
Interview by Charlie Rose, with Rex Tillerson, CEO ExxonMobil, March 12, 2013
The Solar Microalgae Industry: Then, Now, and Coming Then: Chlorella, 1960s: Japan, nutritional supplements, circular ponds
Spirulina, 1970s: Mexico (carbonate pond), 1970s Thailand, raceways Dunaliella (betacarotene), 1980s: Australia, ponds; Israel raceways Haematococcus (for astaxanthin), 2000s: Israel, PBRs; Hawaii raceways
Now: Phycocyanin (food coloring) 2015 extracted from Spirulina (Earthrise). Diatoms (Cyclotella, etc.) aquaculture feeds (hatcheries, nursery)
Spirulina microfarms, France, Africa, expanding around world. Green Algae for wastewater treatment (with biofuels); Biofertilizers
Coming: Nannochloropsis,2017?, nutraceuticals, USA, China… raceways, PBRsTetraselmis, Isochrysis, Porphyridium, ?? Nutraceuticals, pigments… “AquaFeeds” – to replace fish meal and fish oil (@$2,000/t)Specialty animal feeds (carotenoids, vitamins, nutrients (@$1000/t) Commodity feeds and fuels ($<500/t )?
Chlorella Production started in Japan, 1960Chlorella Production started in Japan, 1960
Bicarbonate Evaporation Pond Near Mexico CitySite of first Spirulina production facility (1974-1995)
Earthrise in S. California (start 1980), near Salton Sea produces Spirulina, also extracts Phycocyanin
Earthrise in S. California (start 1980), near Salton Sea produces Spirulina, also extracts Phycocyanin
Cyanotech Corp., in Kona, Hawaii (1983)Produce Spirulina and Haematococcus (astaxanthin]
Cyanotech Corp., in Kona, Hawaii (1983)Produce Spirulina and Haematococcus (astaxanthin]
Parry Nutraceuticals, Ltd. India (1996)
Cognis -BASF plant Dunaliella production beta carotene– Western Australia (~1980)
Haematococcus pluvialis, astaxanthin, Israel, 2000s
Cyanotech Corp in Hawaii. Red ponds for Haematococcus, for astaxanthin, others cultivate Spirulina
Heliae
World’s largest Haematococcus farm, in China
The Solar Microalgae Industry: Then, Now, and Coming Then: Chlorella, 1960s: Japan, nutritional supplements, circular ponds
Spirulina, 1970s: Mexico (carbonate pond), 1970s Thailand, raceways Dunaliella (betacarotene), 1980s: Australia, ponds; Israel raceways Haematococcus (for astaxanthin), 2000s: Israel, PBRs; Hawaii raceways
Now: Phycocyanin (food coloring) 2015 extracted from Spirulina (Earthrise). Diatoms (Cyclotella, etc.) aquaculture feeds (hatcheries, nursery)
Spirulina microfarms, France, Africa, expanding around world. Green Algae for wastewater treatment (with biofuels); Biofertilizers
Coming: Nannochloropsis,2017?, nutraceuticals, USA, China… raceways, PBRsTetraselmis, Isochrysis, Porphyridium, ?? Nutraceuticals, pigments… “AquaFeeds” – to replace fish meal and fish oil (@$2,000/t)Specialty animal feeds (carotenoids, vitamins, nutrients (@$1000/t) Commodity feeds and fuels ($<500/t )??
Dec 2013: DIC announces $10 M Plant Linablue® natural blue food coloring at Earthrise. Plant inaugurated July 31 , 2015
Phycocyanin
Clam hatchery -nursery
From larvae to seed to market size
SeaAg, Inc., 1989 -2015 Florida, Joe Weissman John Benemann, produced littleneck clams on-shore (grow
diatoms in open ponds for seed clams and grow –out)
SeaAg, Inc., 1989 -2015 Florida, Joe Weissman John Benemann, produced littleneck clams on-shore (grow
diatoms in open ponds for seed clams and grow –out)
Cyclotella grown in open ponds, fed to clams
Belgium, manufacture Phylavive (freeze dried)
AFRICA:, Bengui, Central Africa Republic, June 2015. Example of a Spirulina “microfarm”
AFRICA:, Bengui, Central Africa Republic, June 2015. Example of a Spirulina “microfarm”
Ponds, Christchurch 5 Ha 4 ponds, $<500K Dr. Rupert Craggs, NIWA, New Zealand (Ponds destroyed by earthquakes, rebuilt in N. island)
Sump for CO2 transfer Paddle wheel
Lamellar settler harvesting
Typical Green Algae Species Dominating in Wastewater Ponds
ScenedesmusMicractinium
Actinastrum Chlorella
Cultivation of N2-fixing Nostoc and use as bio fertilizer,Weissman & Benemann, 1986 (unpublished)
The Solar Microalgae Industry: Then, Now, and Coming Then: Chlorella, 1960s: Japan, nutritional supplements, circular ponds
Spirulina, 1970s: Mexico (carbonate pond), 1970s Thailand, raceways Dunaliella (betacarotene), 1980s: Australia, ponds; Israel raceways Haematococcus (for astaxanthin), 2000s: Israel, PBRs; Hawaii raceways
Now: Phycocyanin (food coloring) 2015 extracted from Spirulina (Earthrise). Diatoms (Cyclotella, etc.) aquaculture feeds (hatcheries, nursery)
Spirulina microfarms, France, Africa, expanding around world. Green Algae for wastewater treatment (with biofuels); Biofertilizers
Coming: Nannochloropsis,2017?, nutraceuticals, USA, China… raceways, PBRsTetraselmis, Isochrysis, Porphyridium, ?? Nutraceuticals, pigments… “AquaFeeds” – to replace fish meal and fish oil (@$2,000/t)Specialty animal feeds (carotenoids, vitamins, nutrients (@$1000/t) Commodity feeds and fuels ($<500/t )??
Hearol Plant 10 hectares100 ponds
Hearol Plant 10 hectares100 ponds
Yantai Heirong Biology Technology Co. Ltd: Nannochloropsis production (2012). Plant failed due
to product contamination, other issues
In-Pond Algae
Tube Settler Effluent
Imperial, Texas
Unlined production Ponds for Nannochloropsis for EPA, uses
Valicor oil extraction technology
In-Pond Algae
Tube Settler Effluent
Market s
Pric
e ($
/Mt)
$7m
Claire Curry, ABCL NEXT Biofuels Digest,San Francisco November 3, 2015
MARKET SIZE FOR ALGAE CHEMICALS, FEEDS, FUELS,
Everyone wants to get their hands on algae
We seem to have a few problems going from lab-scale to full-scale production
mixing rate
CO2 supplynutrient availability
temperature
contamination
pH
Some factors affecting algae growth in outdoor cultures
O2 accumulation
From Mario Tredici (ponds by Ami Ben Amotz)
CHALLENGE: ROTIFERS ( JUST ONE TYPE OF ALGAE GRAZER] Must manage ponds for algal species & culture stability
Botryococcus braunii
Global Warming not a new story: 25 years ago alredy making headlines
Positive Proof of Global WarmingPositive Proof of Global Warming
S. Slocombe, J. Benemann (eds.) and High Value Microalgal
Production for Biomass Products
2016CRC Press
Taylor and Francis Group US$ 129.95
Available at Amazon, etc.
MicroBio Engineering Inc., San Luis Obispo, California
Facilities Designs – Equipment – Wastewater Reclamation – Scientific Consulting – R&D – Life Cycle Assessments – Techno-Economic Analyses
Founded 2006, John Benemann (CEO) and Tryg Lundquist (CTO, Professor Cal Poly)
Thank You!!