[Gasification] Algae

[Keith Addison]

Hello Rex

Have Global Green Solutions actually produced any biodiesel (or oil) 
from algae, apart from lab tests?

Best

Keith


>Art,
>
>
>
>I have just attended a biofuels conference in Johannesburg, South
>Africa. A US company called Global Green Solutions
>(www.globalgreensolutionsinc.com
><http://www.globalgreensolutionsinc.com/> ) have, in my opinion, cracked
>the algae challenge. If you recall, I said that the problem with open
>ponds was wild algae contamination and that the best way to keep your
>strain "pure" was to have a closed system. This makes the challenge of
>getting algae slurry into a photobioreactor a problem due to the cost
>involved with this type of equipment. Well, GGS have taken thick (500um
>or so) clear PVC film, folded it over and heat sealed it around the
>outside. Internally they have used heat sealing to make a zig zag flow
>path. These pillows are then suspended from racks about 12" apart. The
>sheet itself is about 2m tall by about 1.2m wide. Using this
>construction method they have managed, at very low cost, to shove
>thousands of square metres of area exposed to sunlight into a very small
>space: 6000 of these can be fitted onto an acre. Consequently the
>capital cost is about US$5/gal (US) with a production cost of about
>US$1/gal (US). This is truly remarkable as it is basically independent
>of the weather requiring only good sunlight (which we have in abundance
>in Africa) and some water. It runs off CO2 in the air but will generate
>about a 30% increase in yield if you can add CO2 from other sources eg
>combustion. Talk about carbon sequestration! Now the beauty of this
>system is that it generates in excess of 180 000 US gals of oil per acre
>per year (roughly 1 000 000 litres/acre year). Talk about efficient!
>Their current research is into running families of algae together such
>that the chemicals excreted by one become the feedstock for the other.
>This would enhance/reduce the feed requirements of the lipid producing
>algae. So there is a lot going on in advancing the technology. They have
>built a demonstration facility in El Paso, TX where they are playing
>with the various combinations. Personally, I think this is a tremendous
>step forward in the generation of bio derived oil for conversion to
>liquid fuel.
>
>
>
>The system sequestrates about 1000 tons/year/acre and generates about
>1200 tons/year/acre of algae of which about 600 tons is oil and 600 tons
>is carbohydrate and protein. After harvesting and pressing, the solids
>can be used for various purposes including co-firing, anaerobic
>digestion or even gasification if that is what makes sense. The question
>then is how do we compress/briquette the solids to make gasifier feed?
>Has anyone got any ideas on this? The ubiquitous fireballs?
>
>
>
>Rex