つくばリポジトリ IS2

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Large Scale Production of

Microalgae for Biofuels

Dr Bryan Willson Dr. Bryan Willson

Chief Technology Officer

International Symposium on Algal Fuel Research

Algal Fuel Research Tsukuba, Japan

July 27 2009

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3 Main Point s 3 Main Point s

• Solix is a leading developer of closed • Solix is a leading developer of closed

phot obioreact or-based product ion syst ems f or algae based biof uels

algae-based biof uels

• Solix’ s cost t raj ect ory shows t hat f uel product ion

f l b t t it i it h

f rom algae can be cost -compet it ive wit h

pet roleum – but requires f ull value ext ract ion

f t h d t i d t

f rom t he product ion co-product s

• Solix has now begun operat ion of t he world’ s

largest closed phot obioreact or f or biof uel product ion.

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Outline

Solix / Algae Intro

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Solix / Algae Intro

Production in Open Ponds

Production in Closed PBRs

Solix AGS System

Harvesting & Extraction

Scaleup: Coyote Gulch

Production Costs

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About Solix About Solix

• Focused on t he development

• Focused on t he development and commercializat ion of large-scale

algae-t o-biof uels syst ems

• Launched in March, 2006

• Privat ely f unded

65+ employees

• 65+ employees

• Headquart ered in

Fort Collins, Colorado, USA, ,

• 1st _{scaleup sit e on t he Sout hern Ut e Indian reservat ion in}

sout hwest Colorado

Si if i i i d d bi l id

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Land & Wat er Ef f iciency Land & Wat er Ef f iciency

Annual Production

S b 40 t 50 l/

• Soybean: 40 t o 50 gal/ acre

• Rapeseed: 110-145 gal/ acre

• Must ard: 140 gal/ acre 6,000

7,000 8,000 /Y e a r

• Must ard: 140 gal/ acre

• Jat ropha: 175 gal/ acre

• Palm oil: 650 gal/ acre _3,000

4,000 5,000 n s/ A c r e

• Algae est . : 5, 000-10, 000 gal/ acre

7, 000 “ nominal”

0 1,000 2,000 , G a llo n

Soy Canola Corn (ETOH)

Palm Algae

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Solix Value Chain Posit ioning Solix Value Chain Posit ioning

Solix

Advanced

Biology Growth Harvest Extract Process

“Refining” Distribution _{& Retail}

Biology

Th “ ” t d

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Outline

Solix / Algae Intro

Production in Open Ponds

Production in Closed PBRs

Production in Open Ponds

Production in Closed PBRs

Solix AGS System

Harvesting & Extraction

Scaleup: Coyote Gulch

Production Costs

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Open Pond Cult ivat ion: Dunaliella - Eilat , Israel

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Open Pond Product ion: Eart hrise Spirulina - Calif ornia

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Open Pond Product ion:

Seambiot ic - Ashkelon, Israel

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Open Pond At t ribut es Open Pond At t ribut es

Ad t g

Advant ages

• Lowest capit al cost

• Only t echnology demonst rat ed • Only t echnology demonst rat ed

at large scale – t o dat e

• Can maint ain specif ic cult uresp

of ext remophiles Disadvant ages

All t i t i f

• Allows cont aminat ion of specif ic cult ure

wit h local species / st rains wit h local species / st rains

• Pot ent ial f or loss / migrat ion of GMO

• Suscept ible t o weat her p

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Outline

Solix / Algae Intro

Production in Open Ponds

Production in Closed PBRs

Solix AGS System

Production in Closed PBRs

Harvesting & Extraction

Scaleup: Coyote Gulch

Production Costs

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Irradiance

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~15%-20% of

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Impact of Light Int ensit y Impact of Light Int ensit y

10 10 %

N t 10X i i li ht b t

40 %

Note: 10X increase in light, but only 3.5X increase in output. Implies a 3X reduction in

%

70 %

Implies a 3X reduction in photosynthetic efficiency.

Conversely if diffuse light can

%

100%

Conversely, if diffuse light can be used over extended surface area, 3X increase in output

100% area, 3X increase in output

possible.

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Ext ended Area PBRs Ext ended Area PBRs

Glass Plate Photobioreactor (Pulz, Richmond, others)

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IGV Dif f use PBR IGV Dif f use PBR

≈5 m2 _{illuminated area}

for 1 m2 _{of ground area}_g

Utilizes diffuse light, short photic distances (approaches ideal cycle

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Closed PBR At t ribut es Closed PBR At t ribut es

Ad t g

Advant ages

• Allow growt h of specif ic cult ures

• Allows environment al cont rol • Allows environment al cont rol

• Pot ent ial f or much higher growt h

rat es (wit h (

ext ended surf ace area and/ or high t urbulence) Disadvant ages

P t t i l f hi h it l t

• Pot ent ial f or high capit al cost

• Pot ent ial f or high energy cost s

• Low cost product ion has not been demonst rat ed • Low-cost product ion has not been demonst rat ed

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Outline

Solix / Algae Intro

Production in Open Ponds

Production in Closed PBRs

Solix AGS System

Harvesting & Extraction

Scaleup: Coyote Gulch

Production Costs

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Cost vs Product ivit y Cost vs. Product ivit y

Direct Light PBR: Diffuse PBR:

Direct Light PBR:

Low Cost & Productivity

Diffuse PBR:

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1st Generat ion PBR July ‘ 06 1st Generat ion PBR. July 06

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2nd Generat ion PBR – May ‘ 07 2nd Generat ion PBR – May 07

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3rd Generat ion PBR –Nov ‘ 07 3rd Generat ion PBR –Nov 07

Solix G3 Technology:

• Extended surface area • Water supported

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Wint er Operat ion: ‘ 07 & ‘ 08 Wint er Operat ion: 07 & 08

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Cont inuing AGS Improvement s Cont inuing AGS Improvement s

Solix G4a Technology:

• Membrane CO₂delivery

M b O l i t l

• Membrane O₂removal, internal

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Of f shore Product ion?

Denmark Workshop, Apr 20-22

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Outline

Solix / Algae Intro

Production in Open Ponds

Production in Closed PBRs

Solix AGS System

Harvesting & Extraction

Scaleup: Coyote Gulch

Harvesting & Extraction

Scaleup: Coyote Gulch

Production Costs

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Harvest ing & Ext ract ion Harvest ing & Ext ract ion

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Fuel Propert ies - General Fuel Propert ies - General

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Fuel Propert ies - General Fuel Propert ies - General

• Algal oil is unique in t hat it t ends

t o cont ain a signif icant quant it y (~5-20% by volume) of long highly

unsat urat ed oils, which are rarely observed in

more t radit ional biodiesel f eedst ocks, such as soy and rapeseed (canola) oil.

• The t wo most common t ypes of long and highly

unsat urat ed oils f ound in algae oil t est ed t o dat e are eicosapent aeonic acid (EPA) and

docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

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Feedst ock Composit ion

Fatty acid content varies widely depending on the feedstock. The chemical

i i h i li i i f b i h i i

Feedst ock Composit ion

Saturated Acids Mono

Unsaturated

Total Poly Unsaturated

composition has implications in terms of combustion characteristics.

Acids Acids

10:0 12:0 14:0 16:0 18:0 >18:0 16:1 18:1 22:1 n:2 n:3 n:4-6

C 7 47 15 8 2 6 2

Coconut 7 47 15 8 2 6 2

Palm 3 40 3 46

Rapeseed 3 2 1 1 12 55 15 8

S b 9 4 8 1 26 55 6

Soybean 9 4 8 1 26 55 6

Nannochlorop sis Oculata

2 15 2 2 16 10 1 6 4 31

N hl 3 14 11 3 19 6 7 3 20

Nannochlorop sis sp.

3 14 11 3 19 6 7 3 20

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Aut omat ion & Cont rols Aut omat ion & Cont rols

• Automates

conditions for

optimal productivity p p y

of different

organisms in g

different climates

• Gives predictiveGives predictive

and diagnostic capabilities

capabilities

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Outline

Solix / Algae Intro

Production in Open Ponds

Production in Closed PBRs

Solix AGS System

H

ti

& E t

ti

Harvesting & Extraction

Scaleup: Coyote Gulch

Production Costs

Scaleup: Coyote Gulch

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Basin A Basin A

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Coyot e Gulch Layout

Basin C Bulk CO2 Coyot e Gulch Layout

Basin B

Basin C 2

Supply

Offices & Basin D

Offices & :Lab

Basin A

Produced Water Handling

Basin A

Operations B ildi

Waste CO₂ & Nat. G S li

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Building

Photo taken 07.19.2009

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Basin A Basin A

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Outline

Solix / Algae Intro

Production in Open Ponds

Production in Closed PBRs

Solix AGS System

H

ti

& E t

ti

Harvesting & Extraction

Scaleup: Coyote Gulch

Production Costs

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Economic Overview Economic Overview

Yi ld

Biomass Growth

Economics (Per

Yield

% Oil

( Unit Area)

Cost

Operating Expense

Solix “ Economics”

Capital Expense

Land

Scale Capital

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Syst em Analysis / Modeling Syst em Analysis / Modeling

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R

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$250/Gal

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Pat h t o Fuel Cost Parit y

The path to fuel cost parity will require both incremental

d t f ti i t

Pat h t o Fuel Cost Parit y

and step function improvements

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Outline

Solix / Algae Intro

Production in Open Ponds

Production in Closed PBRs

Solix AGS System

H

ti

& E t

ti

Harvesting & Extraction

Scaleup: Coyote Gulch

Production Costs

Solix Business Model

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Business Model

•

Solix contributes:

Business Model

• production/ processing technology

j t d l t d

• proj ect development and operational expertise

•

Partner contributes::

_{Industry Partner}

• CO2, land and capital

•

Value from:

Industry Partner

• Fuel, co-products and CO2

Solix

•

Solix is teaming with international partners in order to develop

large-p p g

scale production

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P a th t o C o m m e rc ia li z a ti o n P a th t o C o m m e rc ia li z a ti o

n Apollo

Mercury

3 & 4

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Outline

Solix / Algae Intro

Production in Open Ponds

Production in Closed PBRs

Solix AGS System

H

ti

& E t

ti

Harvesting & Extraction

Scaleup: Coyote Gulch

Production Costs

Solix Business Model

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Conclusions Conclusions

• Economical biof uel product ion appears Economical biof uel product ion appears

f easible, using low-cost high product ivit y phot obioreact ors

phot obioreact ors

• Requires t ight coupling of biol ogy and q g p g gy

engineering

Value of co product s must be capt ured; • Value of co-product s must be capt ured;

may approach or exceed value of oil

• Syst ems modeling/ int egrat ion required t o achieve cost t arget s

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