Research into renewable biofuels focuses on microalgae

The scientific community has been aware for many years that it is technically feasible to extract biofuels from algae and now the search for a way to make this a viable businesses solution has been stepped up, with projects taking place globally.

To this end, a significant amount of collaboration is taking place between science and industry, with a five-year study co-ordinated by Aqualia in Spain recently attracting €7 million of European Union funding and involving partners from Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, as well as researchers from the University of Southampton.

In the US, scientists at Iowa University's Center for Sustainable Environmental Technologies have identified the thermochemical conversion process called catalytic pyrolysis, which is a less energy-intrusive and more economical way of using algae to produce petrochemicals and ammonia.

A team from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, led by Dr Mark Hildebrand, have been working since 2007 on genetically modifying algae to improve the yield of chemicals used in biofuel production. This project was recently announced as the best of its kind by the US Department of Energy, which highlighted its "outstanding research, technical progress, project relevance and potential commercial applications".

While the majority of the research conducted to date has focussed on green algae found in freshwaters such as lakes and ponds, Dr Hildebrand's findings have centred around diatoms - the most prevalent oceanic variety. This is seen as a key advantage in drought-prone areas as it relieves pressure on supplies of fresh water.

One of the major discoveries the team has made so far is the ability to "turn off" an enzyme in diatoms that helps to break down lipids for energy. This means the algae can accumulate greater volumes of these lipids without restricting their growth - something Dr Hildebrand believes has previously been a major obstacle in algae biofuel production.

In Spain, the team has so far cultivated a small area of prototype algae - around 1,000 square metres - but plans are in place to increase this tenfold next year, and by the same amount again in 2016, taking the total to more than ten hectares.

This project is of interest to the wider chemicals industry because as well as producing a significant amount of biomethane - the team expects that for each cultivated hectare, the algae biomethane would be enough to power three cars "of average size" to travel around 15,000 kilometres per year - the facility is also being used to treat waste water.

Frank Rogalla, research coordinator and director of innovation and technology at Aqualia, said: "After the end of the project, we hope that the client - the municipality of Chiclana - will continue to operate the facility, as it will be a self-sustainable system. This biofuel could also be transformed into electricity with a combined heat and power engine."

According to Mr Rogalla and the research team behind the project, the removal of nitrogen and phosphorous from waste water will help to minimise pollutions and ensure conformity with stringent legislative requirements, while also leaving open the possibility for fertilizers and biochemicals to be produced.

This would help towns such as Chiclana, where the research facility is based, to combine their energy consumption and wastewater treatment. Where it currently costs €11,000 per year on energy alone to treat sewage, the town will recoup an equivalent income as biofuel producer.

As situations such as this become more and more popular, it is necessary to ensure a gas odorant is utilised to detect if there are any leaks of the odourless biomethane material. Robinson Brothers has extensive experience of supplying gas odorants to the natural gas and biomethane industries and offers a full logistics service, comprising all aspects of production through to the safe delivery of the product to gas treatment sites. Deliveries from between 10 and 12,000 litres are available using bespoke delivery equipment, including three state-of-the-art purpose-built vehicles. For more information, contact [email protected]