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En el marco de la jornada Microalgas, ¿una fuente de petróleo verde?, organizada con IMDEA y celebrada el 8 de abril en EOI, Escuela de Organización Industrial, Enrique Espí, de Repsol, presenta los retos todavía pendientes para llegar a una producción rentable de combustibles procedentes de microalgas. 8_04_2010
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© D.Technology Repsol, April 2010
Scaling up algae fuels: economic and environmental issues
Enrique Espí
Repsol Technology Center
Madrid, April 08, 2010
© D.Technology Repsol, April 2010
Summary
Introduction
Pros & cons of algae for bioenergy
Repsol’s R&D activities on microalgae
Strains selection
FBR optimization
Next developments
Economic issues
Environmental issues
© Repsol D. Technology, June 2009
Introduction:pros & cons of algae for bioenergy
© D.Technology Repsol, April 2010
High yield ¿up to 1000 t/ha·year?
Capture CO2
Don’t consume water
Don’t contaminate soils or aquifers
Continuous harvesting
Positive energy balance
Don’t need pesticides
High-value products
Pros
© D.Technology Repsol, April 2010
Cons
Large-scale productivity do not
surpass 100 t/ha·year
Cost between 2 and 20 €/kg biomass
Lipids not always suitable for
biodiesel
Energy balance: 1-2 energy return
on energy invested
GHG balance negative if synthetic
fertilizers and pure CO2 are used
© Repsol D. Technology, June 2009
Repsol’s R&D activities on microalgae
© D.Technology Repsol, April 2010
R&D lines on microalgae
Basic biochemistry: deep understanding of algae metabolism for
lipids or other added-value molecules synthesis.
Species selection: isolation and characterization of species and
varieties with high biomass, lipids or other molecules productitvity.
Methabolic engineering: genetic (or other route) modification of
natural species for increasing their biomass, lipids or other
molecules productivity.
Growing systems: development, optimization and scale-up of open
(raceways) or closed (FBRs) systems including design, materials,
management, nutrients, CO2 enrichment, etc.
Downstream processing: physical (harvesting, drying, extraction,
etc.) and chemical processing of algae biomass.
… for
Biomass (heat, electricity and CO2 capture)
Lipids (biofuels…)
High-value products (omega-3, proteins, lutein…)
© D.Technology Repsol, April 2010
Repsol’s R&D activities on microalgae
www.piibe.com
(2006-2009)
www.cenit-sostco2.com
(2008-2011)
New project
(2010-2011)
Projects
Plan E Microalgae
PIIBEProyecto de investigación para el Impulso del Biodiesel en España
Sost-CO2Nuevas utilizaciones sostenibles del CO2
Associations &Technology Platforms
© D.Technology Repsol, April 2010
Cenit PIIBE objectives and results
Method for selecting microalgae strains
Result: flow cytometry method developped
and optimised for lipogenic microalgae
selection
Selection and isolation of a high lipids-producing
strain
Result: one strain registered (T. repsoliensis)
Optimization of a vertical tubular photobioreactor
(design, management, CDF…)
Result: patent application issued
Development of an anti-biofouling cheap plastic
material for FBRs
Results: preliminar positive results
PIIBEProyecto de investigación para el Impulso del Biodiesel en España
© D.Technology Repsol, April 2010
Cenit PIIBE results: strains selection
Hundreds of wild algae strains
collected, selected and isolated
using flow cytometry.
© D.Technology Repsol, April 2010
Lipid yield (t/ha·year)
Soya 0,4
Sunflower 0,8
Rape 1
Olive 1
Jatropha 1,5
Avocado 2,2
Coconut 2,2
Palm 5
Very interesting results at lab-scale, but scale-up is still needed
Cenit PIIBE results: strains selection
Lipid production of wild strains.
© D.Technology Repsol, April 2010
Cenit PIIBE results: strains selection
Lipid content optimization
using flow cytometry & sorting.
© D.Technology Repsol, April 2010
Optimizing FBRs design using
Computational Fluid Dynamics
(CFD): shape, stirring, light
distribution, etc.
6 rpm 12 rpm 18 rpm
Cenit PIIBE results: FBR optimization
PCT/ES2010/070132 patent
© D.Technology Repsol, April 2010
Cenit PIIBE results: FBR optimization
FBR farm optimization
© D.Technology Repsol, April 2010
Optical properties: Repsol is applying
its experience with plastics for
greenhouse covers to FBR materials:
Ultraviolet transmission (UV).
Near infrared transmission (NIR).
Middle infrared transmission (MIR).
Luminescence (UV-VIS, VIS-VIS).
Cenit PIIBE results: FBR optimization
Materials for FBRs.
© D.Technology Repsol, April 2010
Cenit PIIBE results: FBR optimization
Materials for FBRs.
Surface properties: Repsol is using
its experience managing chemical
and physical surface properties of
plastics to develop antifouling
FBRs.
70% 5%
© D.Technology Repsol, April 2010
Heat, electricity and CO2
Some figures:
Algae growing for CO2 capture and direct energy production (heat
and electricity) has all the advantages and less technical
uncertenties (fuel quality, compatibility with fossil fuels, etc.) than
their use for biofuels
180 t
CO2
100 t
biomass
20 t
lipids
© D.Technology Repsol, April 2010
Cenit Sost-CO2 objectives
Selection of a high biomass-producing
microalgae strain
Selection and optimization of different
growing systems, including open ponds,
vertical and flat pipes, flexible bags…
Scale-up these systems.
Sost-CO2Nuevas utilizaciones sostenibles del CO2
www.cenit-sostco2.com
www.repsol.com
© D.Technology Repsol, April 2010
Plan E Microalgae objectives
Effect of different refinery flue gases and
wastewaters on algae growing
Downstream processing (harvesting, de-
watering, extraction…) of algae biomass
Plan E Microalgae
© Repsol D. Technology, June 2009
Future developments
© D.Technology Repsol, April 2010
Economic issues
Source: Proviron
Present price of algae fuels: 2 to 20 €/l
Present price of other biofuels: 0.5 to 1 €/l
© D.Technology Repsol, April 2010
Economic issues
Pathway for cuting down costs:
To increase productivity:
• high productivity algae strains (GM?)
• high productivity photobioreactors
To cut down investments:
• low-cost photobioreactors (all-plastic)
• harvesting methods alternative to centrifugation
• extraction methods alternative to solvent extraction
To cut down operating costs:
• personnel costs (automation)
• energy costs (farming, harvesting, extraction)
• water, nutrients and CO2 costs
© D.Technology Repsol, April 2010
Environmental issues
Energy and GHG balances highly
dependent on the nutrients and CO2
supplies.
Focus on:
Wastewaters vs. Chemical nutrients
Flue gas vs. Pure CO2
Source: Environ. Sci. Technol. 2010, 44, 1813-1819
© D.Technology Repsol, April 2010
Thank you for your attention