Algae biofuels are a bit annoying. This alternative fuel energy, like many biofuels, helps to reduce carbon emissions without occupying land for food production. But it was abandoned by big companies like Shell and Exxon Mobil, which are giving up on this environmentally friendly fuel. Why is such a promising technology not able to bear fruit, what else can we do to recover it?
Algae are photosynthetic organisms that grow in water and produce energy from carbon dioxide and sunlight. Single-cell microalgae are rich in fat and can be converted into biodiesel, which is the most common biofuel. There are many types of raw materials for the production of biofuels, including corn and cooked cooking oil. But algae are special because they are produced quickly and can produce large amounts of fuel (high productivity).
In the past decade, the energy industry has invested heavily in the development of algae biofuel production. This is very significant because, ten years ago, as high oil prices and awareness of climate change caused by carbon emissions were increasing, it was necessary to find alternatives to fossil fuels. Algae biofuels have been touted as the answer to these problems, leading to a large investment follow-up.
Unfortunately, we lack complete planning for the whole thing. Companies that produce algae biofuels struggle to maintain their high productivity on a larger scale, and they find that carnivores often contaminate their farms. They also found that this mode of production is not economical. It is costly to build ponds to grow algae and provide them with enough sunlight and nutrients for growth, and the price of oil has plummeted.
Not just biofuels
Algae is not only capable of producing biofuels. In fact, algae resembles a micro-factory that produces a variety of useful compounds that can be used to make a range of different types of products.
For example, algae produce large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, an important dietary supplement. This means that it may be a sustainable source of omega-3 plants, otherwise we can only obtain omega-3 fatty acids by eating fish or dumping cod liver oil. More commonly, algae are a good source of vitamins, minerals and protein, and people often take chlorella, spirulina, etc. because they are good for health.
Another use is that algae can be made into bioplastics. Ordinary plastic is a product made of fossil fuel and is difficult to degrade and not environmentally friendly. Algae can produce bioplastics with lower carbon emissions and even some way of absorbing carbon emissions. The use of algae helps prevent the accumulation of plastics in the environment.
Product diversity may be the key to the final development of algae biofuels. There are many high-value chemicals in these products that sell at a much higher price than biofuels. Therefore, by combining algae with biodiesel production, we can subsidize fuel prices, thereby offsetting the high cost of algae farming.
This concept, known as “biorefineryâ€, is a new round of algae research that hopes to solve the problems of the past decade. We know that refineries produce plastics, fibers and lubricants as well as fuels. Now we want to develop algae biorefinery in exactly the same way.
Algae biorefinery
To make this approach more cost effective and sustainable, we need to use waste heat, carbon dioxide and nutrients for algae growth. These materials are readily available from power plants, factories and water treatment plants, which can reduce the cost of a portion of algae growth. After the production of algae fuel, a large amount of protein carbohydrates and other molecules remain. These substances can be converted into the various products mentioned above or can be used to produce biogas (another source of fuel). These biogas can be sold or used to produce the heat needed for algae in a biorefinery. This closed loop makes the entire production process more efficient.
It is easy to understand that this process proposes a sustainable, profitable way to produce biofuels from algae. In fact, companies have applied this concept to specific work. In 2014, Sapphire Energy, one of the world's largest algae biotechnology companies, announced that they are expanding their business, including nutritional supplements and biofuels. The shift in business focus to biorefinery has become more common for many companies that want to enrich their product lines.
Obviously, algae biorefinery cannot solve all the problems faced by algae commercialization today. The industry also faces many key issues, the loss of efficiency in the mass production of algae, and the pollution problems in algae cultivation. These problems can only be solved through continuous efforts. Biorefinery is likely to be the next step for humans to get rid of fossil fuels in the future.
English original text:
Opinion: Can we save the algae biofuel industry?
Algal biofuels are in trouble. This alternative fuel source could help reduce overall carbon emissions without taking land from food production, like many crop-ba sed biofuels do. But several major companies including Shell and Exxo nMobil are seemingly abando ning their investments in this enviro Nultally friendly fuel. So why has this promising technology failed to deliver, and what could be done to save it?
Algae are photosynthetic organisms related to plants that grow in water and produce energy from carbon dioxide and sunlight. Single-celled microalgae can be used to produce large amounts of fat, which can be co nverted into biodiesel, the most common form of biofuel. But many of the ingredients for making biofuels, from corn to used cooking oil. But algae are particularly interesting because they can be rapidly rapidly and produce large amounts of fuel relative to the resources used to grow them (high productivity).
In the last decade or so, vast amounts of mo ney have been invested in the development of algae for biofuel production. This made sense because, ten years ago, there was a need to find alternatives to fossil fuels due to the high oil price and The increasing recognition that carbon emissions were causing climate change. Algal biofuels were touted as the answer to these twin problems, and huge investment followed.
Unfortunately, things did't go to to plan. Companies making algal biofuels struggled to retain their high productivity at a larger scale and found predators often co ntaminated their farms. They also found that the eco nomics just didn't make sense. Building the Po nds in which to grow the algae and making enough light and nutrients for them to grow proved too expensive, and to make matters worse the oil price has plummeted.
Beyond biofuels
But algae don't just produce biofuels. In fact, algae are like microscopic factories producing all sorts of useful compounds that can be used to make an amazingly diverse range of products.
For example, algae can produce large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, an im portant dietary supplement. This means it could be a sustainable, vegetarian source of omega-3, which is otherwise o nly available from eating fish or unappetising cod liver tablets More generally, algae are excellent sources of vitamins, minerals and proteins, with species such as Chlorella and Spirulina commo nly being co nsumed for their health benefits.
Another useful product that can be made from algae is bioplastic. Regular plastic is a product of fossil fuels and takes an extremely long time to break down, which makes it very enviro nmentally unfriendly. Bioplastic from algaecan be produced with low carbon emissions, or even In a way that absorbs emissions. Their use could help prevent the build up of plastic in the environment.
The diversity of these products may be the key to finally developing algal biofuels. Many are high-value chemicals, selling for a much higher price than biofuels. So by combining them with biodiesel production, we could subsidise the price of the fuel and offset the High costs of algal cultivation.
This concept, known as a "biorefinery", is part of a new wave of algae research that aims to overcome the issues of the past decade or so. We already know that oil refineries produce plastics, fibres and lubricants as well as fuels. We are hoping to develop algal biorefineries in exactly the same way.
Producing an algal biorefinery
To make this model cost-effective and usual, we would need to use waste sources of heat, carbon dioxide and nutrients to grow the algae. These are widely available from power plants, factories and water treatment plants and so could reduce some of the costs Of growing algae. After making algal fuel, you're left with lots of proteins, carbohydrates and other molecules. These can be co nverted into the kinds of products mentio ned above, or used to produce biogas (another fuel source). This biogas Can be sold or used at the biorefinery to produce heat for the algae, closing the loop and making the whole process more efficient.
It's easy to see how this process could be a way forward for for, profitable biofuel from algae. In fact, there are companies already applying this co ncept to their work. In 2014 Sapphire Energy, one of the world's largest algal biotechnology companies, announced That they were diversifying their work to include nutritio nal supplements as well as biofuels. This move towards biorefinery is becoming more common and many firms diversifying their product lines.
Clearly, the algal biorefinery will not solve all the problems facing commercial algal cultivation today. There are still key issues facing the loss of yield at very large scales, and the co ntamination of algal cultures by predators that eat your crop of algae. Will o nly be solved by co ntinued research efforts. However, biorefinery may well be the next step towards a future free from fossil fuels
Algae are photosynthetic organisms that grow in water and produce energy from carbon dioxide and sunlight. Single-cell microalgae are rich in fat and can be converted into biodiesel, which is the most common biofuel. There are many types of raw materials for the production of biofuels, including corn and cooked cooking oil. But algae are special because they are produced quickly and can produce large amounts of fuel (high productivity).
In the past decade, the energy industry has invested heavily in the development of algae biofuel production. This is very significant because, ten years ago, as high oil prices and awareness of climate change caused by carbon emissions were increasing, it was necessary to find alternatives to fossil fuels. Algae biofuels have been touted as the answer to these problems, leading to a large investment follow-up.
Unfortunately, we lack complete planning for the whole thing. Companies that produce algae biofuels struggle to maintain their high productivity on a larger scale, and they find that carnivores often contaminate their farms. They also found that this mode of production is not economical. It is costly to build ponds to grow algae and provide them with enough sunlight and nutrients for growth, and the price of oil has plummeted.
Not just biofuels
Algae is not only capable of producing biofuels. In fact, algae resembles a micro-factory that produces a variety of useful compounds that can be used to make a range of different types of products.
For example, algae produce large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, an important dietary supplement. This means that it may be a sustainable source of omega-3 plants, otherwise we can only obtain omega-3 fatty acids by eating fish or dumping cod liver oil. More commonly, algae are a good source of vitamins, minerals and protein, and people often take chlorella, spirulina, etc. because they are good for health.
Another use is that algae can be made into bioplastics. Ordinary plastic is a product made of fossil fuel and is difficult to degrade and not environmentally friendly. Algae can produce bioplastics with lower carbon emissions and even some way of absorbing carbon emissions. The use of algae helps prevent the accumulation of plastics in the environment.
Product diversity may be the key to the final development of algae biofuels. There are many high-value chemicals in these products that sell at a much higher price than biofuels. Therefore, by combining algae with biodiesel production, we can subsidize fuel prices, thereby offsetting the high cost of algae farming.
This concept, known as “biorefineryâ€, is a new round of algae research that hopes to solve the problems of the past decade. We know that refineries produce plastics, fibers and lubricants as well as fuels. Now we want to develop algae biorefinery in exactly the same way.
Algae biorefinery
To make this approach more cost effective and sustainable, we need to use waste heat, carbon dioxide and nutrients for algae growth. These materials are readily available from power plants, factories and water treatment plants, which can reduce the cost of a portion of algae growth. After the production of algae fuel, a large amount of protein carbohydrates and other molecules remain. These substances can be converted into the various products mentioned above or can be used to produce biogas (another source of fuel). These biogas can be sold or used to produce the heat needed for algae in a biorefinery. This closed loop makes the entire production process more efficient.
It is easy to understand that this process proposes a sustainable, profitable way to produce biofuels from algae. In fact, companies have applied this concept to specific work. In 2014, Sapphire Energy, one of the world's largest algae biotechnology companies, announced that they are expanding their business, including nutritional supplements and biofuels. The shift in business focus to biorefinery has become more common for many companies that want to enrich their product lines.
Obviously, algae biorefinery cannot solve all the problems faced by algae commercialization today. The industry also faces many key issues, the loss of efficiency in the mass production of algae, and the pollution problems in algae cultivation. These problems can only be solved through continuous efforts. Biorefinery is likely to be the next step for humans to get rid of fossil fuels in the future.
English original text:
Opinion: Can we save the algae biofuel industry?
Algal biofuels are in trouble. This alternative fuel source could help reduce overall carbon emissions without taking land from food production, like many crop-ba sed biofuels do. But several major companies including Shell and Exxo nMobil are seemingly abando ning their investments in this enviro Nultally friendly fuel. So why has this promising technology failed to deliver, and what could be done to save it?
Algae are photosynthetic organisms related to plants that grow in water and produce energy from carbon dioxide and sunlight. Single-celled microalgae can be used to produce large amounts of fat, which can be co nverted into biodiesel, the most common form of biofuel. But many of the ingredients for making biofuels, from corn to used cooking oil. But algae are particularly interesting because they can be rapidly rapidly and produce large amounts of fuel relative to the resources used to grow them (high productivity).
In the last decade or so, vast amounts of mo ney have been invested in the development of algae for biofuel production. This made sense because, ten years ago, there was a need to find alternatives to fossil fuels due to the high oil price and The increasing recognition that carbon emissions were causing climate change. Algal biofuels were touted as the answer to these twin problems, and huge investment followed.
Unfortunately, things did't go to to plan. Companies making algal biofuels struggled to retain their high productivity at a larger scale and found predators often co ntaminated their farms. They also found that the eco nomics just didn't make sense. Building the Po nds in which to grow the algae and making enough light and nutrients for them to grow proved too expensive, and to make matters worse the oil price has plummeted.
Beyond biofuels
But algae don't just produce biofuels. In fact, algae are like microscopic factories producing all sorts of useful compounds that can be used to make an amazingly diverse range of products.
For example, algae can produce large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, an im portant dietary supplement. This means it could be a sustainable, vegetarian source of omega-3, which is otherwise o nly available from eating fish or unappetising cod liver tablets More generally, algae are excellent sources of vitamins, minerals and proteins, with species such as Chlorella and Spirulina commo nly being co nsumed for their health benefits.
Another useful product that can be made from algae is bioplastic. Regular plastic is a product of fossil fuels and takes an extremely long time to break down, which makes it very enviro nmentally unfriendly. Bioplastic from algaecan be produced with low carbon emissions, or even In a way that absorbs emissions. Their use could help prevent the build up of plastic in the environment.
The diversity of these products may be the key to finally developing algal biofuels. Many are high-value chemicals, selling for a much higher price than biofuels. So by combining them with biodiesel production, we could subsidise the price of the fuel and offset the High costs of algal cultivation.
This concept, known as a "biorefinery", is part of a new wave of algae research that aims to overcome the issues of the past decade or so. We already know that oil refineries produce plastics, fibres and lubricants as well as fuels. We are hoping to develop algal biorefineries in exactly the same way.
Producing an algal biorefinery
To make this model cost-effective and usual, we would need to use waste sources of heat, carbon dioxide and nutrients to grow the algae. These are widely available from power plants, factories and water treatment plants and so could reduce some of the costs Of growing algae. After making algal fuel, you're left with lots of proteins, carbohydrates and other molecules. These can be co nverted into the kinds of products mentio ned above, or used to produce biogas (another fuel source). This biogas Can be sold or used at the biorefinery to produce heat for the algae, closing the loop and making the whole process more efficient.
It's easy to see how this process could be a way forward for for, profitable biofuel from algae. In fact, there are companies already applying this co ncept to their work. In 2014 Sapphire Energy, one of the world's largest algal biotechnology companies, announced That they were diversifying their work to include nutritio nal supplements as well as biofuels. This move towards biorefinery is becoming more common and many firms diversifying their product lines.
Clearly, the algal biorefinery will not solve all the problems facing commercial algal cultivation today. There are still key issues facing the loss of yield at very large scales, and the co ntamination of algal cultures by predators that eat your crop of algae. Will o nly be solved by co ntinued research efforts. However, biorefinery may well be the next step towards a future free from fossil fuels
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