Algal Biofuel Technologies States Biomass/ Clean Cities Web Conference November 6, 2008 Al Darzins, Ph.D. Principal Group Manager National Bioenergy Center [email protected] (303) 384-7757 NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC Advanced Biofuels in 2007 EISA SSeeccttiioonn 220022 – RRenewabblle FFuells SSttanddardd setts ag gre ssiive vollu mettriic goalls : To meet these goals, development must 2009 600 million move beyond biodiesel and ethanol to fuels 22001100 995500 mmiilllliioonn thha t are iin terchha ngeabblle wiithh traddiitiio nall ffuells 2011 1.35 billion and can be more easily integrated into the current infrastructure. 2022 21 billion Energy 2022 Independence aanndd SSeeccuurriittyy 2015 Act (EISA) Advanced Biofuels of 2007 2012 (include cellulosic biofuels other than starch-based ethanol) EEPPAAcctt 2012 2005 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 Billions of Gallons Ethanol & Biodiesel Conventional (Starch) Biofuel Biodiesel Cellulosic Biofuels Other Advanced Biofuels National Renewable Energy Laboratory Innovation for Our Energy Future Major DOE Biofuels Project Locations Geographic, Feedstock, and Technology Diversity RSE Pulp & Chemical, LLC BBiiochhe miicall Regents of the University of University of Maine Woody Biomass- Pacific Ethanol BioCcahrgeimll iIcnacl MVainrinoeusso ta Mascoma (Orono, ME) Mill Residues Biochemical Various (Minneapolis, MN) Biochemical Mascoma (Old Town, ME) Wheat Straw, Stover, (Minneapolis, MN) Flambeau River Hardwoods Biochemical Poplar Residues Thermochemical (Upper Peninsula, MI) Various (Boardman, OR) Montana State University Forest Residues/Wood Waste (Lebanon, NH) Bozeman, (MT) (Park Falls, WI) NewPage Cornell University University of TThheerrmmoocchheemmiiccaall DDOOEE GGrreeaatt LLaakkeess ((II thha ca, NNYY)) MM assachhu setts – AAmhher st Woody Biomass – Mill Residues Bioenergy Research Center (Amherst, MA) (Wisconsin Rapids, WI) (Madison, WI) GE Global Research Gas Technology Institute (Niskayuna, NY) DOE Joint Bioenergy Institute (Des PPluarindeuse, UILn)i versity STetecvhennoslo Ingsyt itute of DSM Innovation Center (Berkeley, CA) Poet UOP, LLC (West Lafayette, IN) (Hoboken NJ) Biochemical Novozymes Biochemical Thermochemical Univeristy of Various Biochemical Corn Cob/Corn Fiber (Des Plaines, IL) Toledo (Parsippany, NJ) (Emmetsburg, IA) Various EEmmeerryy EEnneerrggyy (( Toldeo,, OH)) (Davis, CA) Thermochemical Iowa State (3) Alltech Dupont GBieoncehnecmoirc al C(Soarlnt LSatokev eCr ity, UT) LBWiigoonocodhlye mBiicoaml ass-Ag (UAnmiveesr,s IiAty) PB(Wuioercdshut eeLm aUfincaiayvele trtsei,t IyN ) (CBWoioarcnsh hCeinomgbitcsoa/Cnl oCronu Fnibtye, rV(K BiYrlag) cinkisab Tuercgh, VA) BV(Waiorilicmohuiensm gitcoanl , DE) Various Residues (Palo Alto, CA) (Grand Junction, CO) Abengoa ICM Research Triangle Institute (2) Biochemica Biochemical DOE Bioenergy Science Thermochemical BlueFire Ethanol Agricultural Residue Switchgrass, Forage Center Woody Biomass Ceres, Inc Biochemical (Hugoton, KS) Sorghum, Stover (Oak Ridge, TN) (Research Triang le Park, NC) Various Municipal Solid Waste (St. Joseph, MO) University of Georgia ((TThhoouussaanndd OOaakkss , CCAA)) ((MM ecca, CCAA)) ((AAtthhe ns, GGAA)) Southern Research Georgia Tech Verenium Corp Institute (Atlanta, GA) Biochemical Thermochemical Various Various Range Fuels (San Diego, CA) (Birmingham, AL) Thermochemical Woody Waste Nine Small-Scale Biorefinery Projects (Soperton, GA) Four Commercial-Scale Biorefinery Projects Verenium Biofuels Corp. Biochemical Process Four Improved Enzyme Projects Energy Cane and Bagasse (Jennings, LA) Five Projects for Fermentation Organisms Five Thermochemical Syngas Projects Reggional Partnershipps TThh ree OOffffii ce off SSc ii ence BBii oenergy CCe ntte rs South Dakota State Univ., Brookings, SD DOE Joint Solicitation Biomass Projects Cornell University, Ithaca, NY Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN Five Thermochemical Bio-Oil Projects Oklahoma State Univ., Stillwater, OK Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR Six University Projects Modified 10/1/2008 National Renewable Energy Laboratory Innovation for Our Energy Future Biofuel Challenges: Energy Density Cellulosic ethanol addresses the gasoline market • U.S. gasoline usage: 140 billion gallons/year • DDooeessnn ’tt aaddddrreessss nneeeedd ffoorr hhiigghheerr -eenneerrggyy ddeennssiittyy ffuueellss Energy Densities (Lower Heating Value) Ethanol Gasoline Biodiesel Diesel/Jet Fuel 76,330 Btu/gal 116,090 Btu/gal 118,170 Btu/gal 128,545/135,000 Btu/gal • U.S. petroleum diesel: 66 billion gallons/year •• UU. SS . jjeett ffuueell:: 2255 bbiilllliioonn ggaalllloonnss//yyeeaarr National Renewable Energy Laboratory Innovation for Our Energy Future Advanced Biofuel Options • Recent studies highlight the potential of advanced biofuels other than cellulosic eetthhaannooll. • Compared to ethanol, next generation biofuels will be more similar in chemical makeup to gasoline and diesel fuels. • Compatibility with the existing infrastructure mmaayy eexxppeeddiittee rraappiidd ddiissppllaacceemmeenntt ooff petroleum (hydrocarbon-based fuels) in the market. Green gasoline Hydrocarbon-Compatible Cellulosic biobutanol (Infrastructure-Compatible) AAllggaall --bbaasseedd bbiiooddiieesseell//ggrreeeenn ddiieesseell AAddvvaanncceedd BBiiooffuueellss National Renewable Energy Laboratory Innovation for Our Energy Future The Biodiesel Dilemma Triglycerides (TAGs) from oilseed crops can’t come close to meeting U.S. diesel demand (60+ billion gal/yr) – UU. SS . ssooyy ooiill:: 33 BB ggaalllloonnss ppeerr yyeeaarr – Conversion to biodiesel replaces only 5% of petroleum diesel usage – This agricultural productivity can’t be diverted from the food supply. – Cost of feedstock increasing – Input costs high – must compete with high valued food market Alternative sources of TAGs are needed! National Renewable Energy Laboratory Innovation for Our Energy Future Algae: Numerous Bioenergy Routes DDeffiin iing Microalgae Macroalgae a Biofuels PPoorrttffoolliioo From Microalggae e t a i d Lipids or e HHyyddrrooggeenn CCaarrbboohhyyddrraatteess BBiioommaassss mm Hydrocarbons r e t n I Syngas Methane l Alkanes or Alcohols e Hydrogen Biodiesel FT Liquids Methane u “Green Diesel” (Ethanol) F National Renewable Energy Laboratory Innovation for Our Energy Future Why Fuels from Algal Oil? •• MMiicroallgae hha ve hhiighh-llii piidd conttentt ((6600%%)); rapiidd growth rates (one doubling/day); produce more lipids per acre than other terrestrial plants --10x - 100x • Can use non-arable land; saline/brackish water • No competition with food or feed • UUttiilliize llarge wastte CCOO resources ((ii.e., ffllue gases)) 2 • Potential to displace significant % U.S. diesel/jet Images courtesy: Lee Elliott, CSM fuel usage Fluorescence micrograph showing stained algal oil droplets (green) National Renewable Energy Laboratory Innovation for Our Energy Future Comparing Potential Oil Yields Crop Oil Yield Gallons/acre CCoorrnn 1188 Cotton 35 SSooyybbeeaann 4488 Mustard seed 61 SSuunnfflloowweerr 110022 Rapeseed 127 Jatropp ha 202 Oil palm 635 Algg ae ((10gg/m2 /dayy- 15%)) 1200 Algae (50g/m2/day-50%) 10,000* Images courtesy: Q. Hu, ASU National Renewable Energy Laboratory Innovation for Our Energy Future DOE’s Aquatic Species Program (ASP) • DOE sponsored research project (1978-1996) • Goal: Develop renewable transportation fuels from algae • Focus: Production of biodiesel from high lipid- content algae grown in ponds • Accomplishments: – AAdd vances ii n appllii edd bbii oll ogy andd dd esii gn off algae production systems – 3,000 strains of algae collected and screened – 1,000 m2 outdoor test facility operated for 12 continuous months in Roswell, New Mexico See the close-out report at: http://govdocs.aquake.org/cgi/reprint/2004 – Cost estimates for algal lipids $40 - $70 per /915/9150010.pdf bbl oil (Benemann and Oswald, 1996) Termination reasons: – NREL’s final report is still referenced and used • Decreasing federal budgets as information/data source for algae • Fooccuuss oon cceelluuloossicc eetthaanool rreesseeaarrcchheerrss aanndd iimmpplleemmeenntteerrss wwoorrllddwwiiddee • Algal diesel not competitive with petro diesel at $20/barrel National Renewable Energy Laboratory Innovation for Our Energy Future