Unit title: Ventilation and Cooling; Water and Waste

Presentation title: Can human sewage provide the feedstock for biodiesel production by photoautotrophic microalgae? Unit number: A3Unit date: November12th 2008Presentation date: January 11th 2008 Student name: Craig EmbletonStudent number: 0750553Seminar group: 1 (Melissa Taylor) e-mail: admin@greenfrontier.orgwebsite: www.greenfrontier.org

CAN HUMAN SEWAGE PROVIDE THE FEEDSTOCK

FOR BIODIESEL PRODUCTION BY PHOTOAUTOTROPHIC

MICROALGAE?

Contents• Problems with current situation

Sewage pollutionConventional biofuels

• Sewage treatmentWaste stabilisation ponds

• Aquatic Species Programme• Algae production

Raceway ponds• Oil yield comparison• Conclusions• Questions

What are the problems?

The usual suspects:• Climate change caused by burning fossil

fuels• Peak oilPlus• Sewage pollution wrecks aquatic

ecosystems and human health• Conventional biofuel production wrecks

terrestrial ecosystems and competes with food production

Marine pollution

‘Discharge of untreated domestic wastes is a major source of marine pollution, and perhaps the most serious problem within the framework of the Global Programme of Action’.

Source: United Nations Environment Programme report into the state of the marineenvironment, 2006

1.5 million deaths/year from diarrhoeal diseases attributable to poor sanitation

and hygiene

Source: United Nations Environment Programme, 2006,WHO, 2006

.’

Children playing near sewage outlets

The Trouble with Conventional Biofuel

Indonesia currently has:

60,000 square kms of oil palm plantations

Plans for another 40,000 by 2015

dedicated to biofuel production alone.

Size of Wales: 21,588 square kilometres• Rainforest destroyed.• Huge amounts of fertilizers used.• No reduction in greenhouse gases.• Food prices up.

Source: Benemann, J 2008

Is there a solution?Perhaps - Photoautotrophic Microalgae

Source: Shell, 2008

What nutrients do algal require to grow?

Source: Mara, D 2004

Algal Photosynthesis

106CO2 + 236H2O + 16NH4+ + HPO4

2-

C106H181O45N16P + 118O2 + 171H2O + 14H+

Major Nutrients: Nitrogen and Phosphorus

What nutrients are in human waste?(Per person per day)

Source: Harper, P. and Halestrap, L. 1999

Per adult per day

Faeces Urine

Nitrogen 3g 8g

Phosphorus 2g 2g

Potassium 1g 2g

Calcium 2g 2g

Source: Benemann, J 2008

Waste Stabilisation Ponds

Sewage treatment: algal-bacterial mutualism in waste stabilisation ponds

Source: Mara, 2004

BOD =BiochemicalOxygenDemand

Source: Sheehan, J et al 1998

U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Fuels Development funded the ASP that ran from 1978-1996

• Focussed on production of biodiesel from algae grown in ponds, using waste CO2 from

coal-fired power plants.• The early studies used sewage ponds.• Later studies used fresh and marine water

ponds with the addition of agricultural fertilizers.

Aquatic Species Programme (ASP)

Source: Sheehan, J et al 1998

Programme concluded:Many R&D obstacles but in theory 2,000 square kilometres of climatically suitable land areas in the U.S. could produce one quadrillion (1,000,000,000,000) British Thermal Units (BTU) of fuel.

Programme stopped for economic reasons.CHEAP OIL!

Aquatic Species Programme (ASP)

Oil yields of crops

Crop Oil yield (L/ha)

Maize 172

Soybean 446

Oil seed rape 1190

Jatropha 1892

Oil palm 5950

Microalgae grown in raceway ponds.

17,000

Source: Chisti, Y 2007 and J. Benemann, J 2008

Source: Chisti, Y 2007

Most algae commercially produced in raceway ponds (Arial View)

Most algae commercially produced in raceway ponds as premium food

Because commercially produced algae is

usually a premium foodstuff e.g. spirulina

• Wastewater (sewage) is avoided.• Expensive agricultural fertilizers used.• Carbonated drinks quality carbon dioxide

added.

Algae harvested from waste stabilisation ponds

Because algal product is a non-food crop:

• Wastewater (sewage) can be used.• Expensive agricultural fertilizers

avoided.

• No addition of CO2 needed but could

use flue gases from fossil fuel power

stations.

Source: Aquaflow 2008

Fuel from sewage pond algae

Proof of concept by AquaflowPowered a vehicle with a 5% biofuel mix

CAN HUMAN SEWAGE PROVIDE THE FEEDSTOCK

FOR BIODIESEL PRODUCTION BY PHOTOAUTOTROPHIC

MICROALGAE?

Conclusions

Yes – but not yet economically.Much more research needed and tax breaks.

Source: Spolaore, P et al, 2005

Issues - Does algal-biodiesel really not compete with food production?

Commodity Protein Carbohydrate Lipid

Meat 43 1 34

Milk 26 38 28

Rice 8 77 2

Spirulina maxima

60–71 13–16 6–7

General composition of different human foodsources and algae (% of dry matter)

Issues - Will algal biodiesel perpetuate ouroil addiction?

• What about electric cars?• What about transitioning to a low carbon

economy?• How about using algae to capture carbon

and incorporate in soil or bury?

Questions?

• Aquaflow bionomic corporation limited. (2008). Prospectus and investment statement for aquaflow bionomic corporation limited. Available: http://www.aquaflowgroup.com/documents/ProspectusandInvestmentStatement_001.pdf. Last accessed 31 December 2008.

• Benemann, J. (2008). Open ponds and closed photobioreactors – comparative economics. Available: http://www.bio.org/ind/wc/08/breakout_pdfs/20080430/Track1_ContinentalA/Session9_230p400pm/Benemann_Continental_A_Wed.pdf. Last accessed 1 January 2009.

• Broere, W. (2008). Harvesting energy from algae. Available: http://www-static.shell.com/static/aboutshell/downloads/swol/jan_mar_2008/algae/algae_en.pdf. Last accessed 30 December 2008.

Bibliography

• Catherine Brahic. (2008). Europe unveils ambitious energy plan . Available: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn13218-europe-unveils-ambitious-energy-plan.html. Last accessed 27 December 2008.

• Coordination Office of the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (gpa) of the United Nations Environment Programme. (2006). The State of the Marine Environment. Available: http://www.gpa.unep.org/documents/soe_-_trends_and_english.pdf. Last accessed 26 December 2008

Bibliography Continued

• Harper, P. and Halestrap, L. (1999) Lifting the Lid. Powys, CAT.

• Mara, D (2004). Domestic Wastewater Treatment in Developing Countries. London: Earthscan. 3. Available (preview) http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=d9O9Gw_3rOUC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0 Last accessed 27 December 2008.

• Pearce, F. and Aldhous, P.. (2007). Is the biofuel dream over?. Available: http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19626343.800. Last accessed 23 December 2008.

Bibliography Continued

• Sheehan, J., T. Dunahay, J. Benemann, and P. Roessler (1998). A Look Back at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Aquatic Species Program-Biodiesel from Algae. U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Fuels Development. Prepared by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado . Available: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass/pdfs/biodiesel_from_algae.pdf. Last accessed 20 November 2008

• Spolaore, P., Joannis-Cassan, C., Duran, E., and Isambert, A. (2006). Commercial applications of microalgae. Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering, 101(2):87-96.

• World Health Organisation. (2006). Analysis of estimates of the environmental attributable fraction, by disease. Available: http://www.who.int/entity/quantifying_ehimpacts/publications/preventingdisease5.pdf. Last accessed 27 December 2008.

Bibliography Continued