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Stephen MayfieldThe San Diego Center for Algae Biotechnology
University of California San Diego
Micro-algae for the production of biofuels and bio-products
Algae: Latin “Seaweed”
• Any of a the group of aquatic eukaryotic organisms that carry on photosynthesis– Range from microscopic single cells to very large multicellular
organism such as kelp– Further categorized as brown algae, red algae, green algae,
and dinoflagellates
• Photosynthetic aquatic prokaryotes are known as cyanobacteria or blue-green algae - and are also used for biofuels production
BioFuels are the Biological conversion of sunlight energy into chemical energy
ProteinCarbohydrate Hydrocarbons
Petroleum (algae) and Coal (plants) are simply fossil Biofuels
PhotosynthesisIn crops
FermentationInto FuelFood
Natural Oils Liquid FuelsPhotosynthesis
In Algae
FiberBurn for
Electricity
BioFuels are already a significant business in the world
Why does energy matter so much?And why is petroleum so important
Without oil
Without coal
Without nuclear
Source: 2006 Key world energy statistics, IEA
The American Dream has become the World’s Dream
Beijing Freeway 2009 - 19 Million New Cars in China in 2010Energy consumption was up 11% in China last year
Data compiled from: EIA, BP statistical review of world energy, & nashawi et al 2010.
You are Here!
When Will the World’s Oil Run Out?
The End of the Hydrocarbon EraTotal World Energy P1 Reserves*Coal 1013 TW-yr Oil 582 TW-yrNatural Gas 539 TW-yr Nuclear 60-300 TW-yr Total Reserves ~2194-2434 TW-yr
Assuming continued 2 % growth in consumption*
We will run out of all energy reserves ~2099
If world was at US consumption rates now: we would run out in 2048
* International Energy Agency, World Energy Outlook 2001:Assessing Today‘s Supplies to Fuel Tomorrow‘s Growth
Energy Return On Investment
The EROI for the Alberta Tar Sands is 5:1, Saudi Arabia it is 100:1Canadian Tar Sands Oil are Now the #1 Oil Import into the US
Anthropogenic Greenhouse EffectAnthropogenic – human activity that has an affect on the environment
IPCC Synthesis Report 2007
Carbon Dioxide
Transportation, heating and cooling, manufacturing, deforestation
Nitrous oxide
Fertilizers, fossil fuels, soils and oceans
Methane
Agriculture, natural gas, landfills, wetlands
Halocarbons
Refrigeration
Water Vapor
Most abundant greenhouse gas, but not largely affected by human impact
Charles D. Keeling
(1928-2005)
Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii
Measuring Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Hasn’t this happened in the past?
UNEP
Yes – but the time frame has been much longerThe rate of CO2 change now is happening in a short period
Ice Ages occur when carbon dioxide and temperatures drop
http://maps.grida.no/go/graphic/historical-trends-in-carbon-dioxide-concentrations-and-temperature-on-a-geological-and-recent-time-scale
Highest level of CO2in recent past
Look at us now!
Currently in a naturally warmer interglacial period, but it is
coming to an end
What will happen due to the higher levels of carbon
dioxide?
•Enormous social-economic consequences of changing•Scientists rarely communicate well•Society has a science illiteracy problem•A disinformation campaign is effective•In some countries, this topic is politicized•Media coverage of science is often poor
Why such a Disconnect?
U.S. sets the example but now it’s out of our hands
Rate of Change in CO2 Emissions between 1971 and 2008
U.S.India
China
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
% C
hang
e in
CO
2
em
issi
ons
IEA Statistics 2010 – Global CO2 Emissions
Food and Fuel Prices are now linked
Maize
U.S. Number 2 yellow, fob Gulf of Mexico
Oil
Average of U.K. Brent, Dubai, and West Texas Intermediate
Pric
e pe
r Bar
rel
Pric
e pe
r Bus
hel
Worldcommunitycookbook.org Solarnavigator.net
Jan 1980 – Jan 2011 Jan 1980 – Jan 2011
The Green RevolutionThe introduction of modern farming techniques and higher-yielding
pest-resistant varieties of crops to significantly increase crop production
Started in 1943 in Mexico by Norman BorlaugFor which he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970
Impact of the Green Revolution on Food Production and Cost
Khush, G.S. (2001) Nature Reviews Genetics. 2: 815-822
Production Increased and Cost Decreased for Major Food Crops
*First law of thermodynamics
*Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, it can only be transformed
from one state to another
How will we replace this energy source?
Photosynthesis is the conversion of solar energy into chemical energy
The World Consumes 15 Terawatts of Energy every Year - 85% Fossil Fuel
The Good NewsThe Sun Provide 86,000 Terawatts of Energy Every Year
Why algae as a conversion platform
Scalability
Productivity
Fungible Fuels
Sustainability
We burn 300 Billion gallons of petroleum a year
Efficient Growth and Oil production
Crop
Oil content
(%)
OilYield
gal/acreCanola 40-45 113
Mustard 25-27 70
Safflower 42-48 146
Soy 20-22 55
Jatropha 32-35 202
Palm 48-52 635
Algae 20-60 ~ 5,000
5,000 gal/acre X 60 million acres = 300 billion gal
Grow Harvest Extract Concentrate
Processing Algae to Green Crude
Once the oils are processed to green crude they can go directly into existing oil refineries
Fungible fuels have been made from algae oil
Many air flights using algae jetfuel blends 2009 – Sapphire
Algaeus, hybrid vehicle crossed the country on algae-based renewable gasoline or diesel 2009 - Sapphire
US Navy amphibious vehicle run on algaeBiodiesel blend 2010 - Solazyme
Cost Analysis: Autotrophic
Davis et al 2011, NREL
OP
(base
)
OP
(
aggress
ive)
OP
(m
ax gro
wth)
PBR
(
base)
PBR
(a
ggress
ive)
PBR
(m
ax gro
wth)
$0
$2
$4
$6
$8
$10
$12
$14
$16
$18
$20
Cost of Oil: Alternative Growth Cases
Operating ($/gal of lipid)Capital ($/gal of lipid)Land ($/gal of lipid)
Co
st
of
Pro
du
cti
on
($
/ga
l)
25 g/m2/day25% TAG
40 g/m2/day50% TAG
60 g/m2/day60% TAG
1.25 g/L/day25% TAG
2.0 g/L/day50% TAG
3.0 g/L/day60% TAG
Domestication of crops and livestock has taken 7,000 of years of breeding
• No commercial system uses wild type organisms• All large scale production relies on species that are
genetically modified (breeding and engineering)
Only Four Categories of Traits Matter in Agriculture
HarvestabilityYield
Product profileCrop protection
Year
Cost Per Gallon (in 2009 dollars)
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
petroleum ppg 0
3
6
9
15
12
18
21 A.
B.C.
D.
Bio-prospecting
Engineering
Breeding-selection
co-products
Improving the Economic Viability of Algal Biofuels
Algal Biofuel Process
Davis et al 2011, NREL
Lipid Extraction
Phase Separation
Solvent Recovery Upgrading
Anaerobic Digestion
Algae Growth
CO2
Makeup nutrients
Recycle nutrients/ water
Makeup solvent Solvent recycle
Spent algae+ water Biogas
for energy Flue gas from turbine
Hydrogen
Naphtha
Diesel
Rawoil
Power
Flocculent
Recycle water Blowdown
Makeup water
CentrifugeDAFSettling
1% 10% 20%
Green = algae cell density - 200 fold increase required
0.1%
CO2
What are the Challenges that Remain
• Reaching world scale production - engineering
• Sustaining investment to economic viability• Achieve economic viability with a product• Economic viability with a fuel product• Achieve environmental sustainability
• Significant Energy Return on Energy Invested
Mission: The San Diego Center for Algae Biotechnology (SD-CAB) was established to support the development of innovative, sustainable and commercially viable algae-based biotechnology solutions for renewable energy, green chemistry, bio-products, water conservation and CO2 abatement.
The San Diego Center for Algae BiotechnologySD-CAB
http://algae.ucsd.edu/