Energy From Vast Biomass 37, Algae
• •4 OTHER BIOMASS: ✔ 4a Oil Bearing Algae: Mainstream groups emphasizes price
parity is far away, but some of pilot type commercializaDon/full commercializaDon
product seems to be lowest cost in some selected cases while cost is coming down
rapidly: α-LOW COST ELEMENTS: its high caloric content, order(s) of magnitude higher
oil yield per growth area than many biofuel crops, or arDficial indoor
farming(Solazyme+) with efficient-fast-economical & easy harvestability-processing,
outdoor system types uDlize unproducDve sun exposed warm land, might prefer
human-undesired quality water(waste, toxic, sea/brackish)
• β-PROCESSING EASE: Most of uDlized algae have no lignin & very liXle cellulose
content, processing is mainly to do with algae lysing(someDmes disrupDvely effecDve
electroporaDon is used) which is far simpler & lower cost than other biofuels even
with convenDonal treatment methods. Extrac2on process a6er ini2al biocrude stage
can be fit to conven2onal petroleum type processing system which reduces cost,
also gives refineries control of pricing in case biocrude becomes much lower cost: non
distruptability during energy cost reduc2on steps : eg Sapphire Energy vs Tesoro,
Phillips 66, Algae.tec + Algenol vs Reliance Industries, Cellana vs Neste, Solazyme
Industrials with own refinery.
• γ-COST DERIVATIVES DEPEND ON VALUE ADDING FACTOR: Becomes lowest cost fuel if
processing is done at locaDons with high cost energy availability, or fuel porDon within
algae oil grade separaDon can be cost-adjusted with higher priced separated grades
from the same run: eg fuel grade vs higher value Omega3 etc -->> cont:
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linkedin.com/in/newnatureparadigm -Ben Rusuisiak: Specialty Cleantech Analysis, Vancouver, Canada