The Use of Algae in the Mediterranean - Research Paper Example

?Algae as a biofuel source for sustainable energy management Introduction Biomas as a renewable energy source can be used for producing biofuel by converting biological organisms or matters into other forms of energy. Biomas power plants use materials like wood and bagasse. Carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide released in this process causes air pollution. Biochemical process involves use of bacteria or other microorganisms for fermentation and composting in breakdown. Vehicle emissions are considerably reduced by mixing bioethanol with gasoline. Biodiesel is produced from oils and fats of animals and vegetables such as sunflower oil, palm oil, jatropha as well as algae. Sustainability of feedstock could be ensured in the case of algae fuel due to fast growth of algae. Development of technology for manufacturing biofuel using algae at lower cost and higher productivity assumes importance in this backdrop. High initial investment is an important barrier to the growth in this industry. This is expected to come down in the future through R&D efforts in the industry with the active support of governments and research institutions. Climate in Mediterranean and other sub-tropical countries is suitable for growing algae for producing algae based biofuels. Since the country of Cyprus is surrounded by sea with good port facilities, growing marine algae for producing biodiesel and the by-products based on this type of algae is considered. Also, increase in demand and good prices for the by-products and can reduce the overall cost of production of algae biofuels to make it more competitive in the markets. Conservation of natural resources Depleting fossil fuel sources of energy and growth in energy consumption over years cause serious threat to energy security of the world in the future. According to Scot et al. (277) “Microalgae offer great potential for exploitation, including the production of biodiesel, but the process is still some way from being carbon neutral or commercially viable. Part of the problem is that there is little established background knowledge in the area.” For achieving the desired progress in this area for the purpose of conservation of fossil fuels and for mitigating the effects of climate change, concerted efforts for the development of this industry on international scale is very important. McDonald (2012) stated that Biologists at US San Diego have made researches to establish that marine algae can be just as capable as fresh water algae in producing biodiesel. According to Kothari and Gujral (272) biofuels derived from algae and microalgae or genetically modified algae and genetically modified co-cultures of Shewanella and Synechococcus have been commercialized. It is further pointed out that algae fuel yields considerably more energy than fossil fuels and biofuels under development include Cellulosic ethanol, Algae fuel, BioDME, Fischer-Tropsch diesel, DMF, bio-hydrogen and biohydrogen diesel. The superior fuel efficiency of algae fuel compared to fossil fuel has been proved in driving Algaeus, a modified Toyota Prius car. "It got 147 miles per gallon in the city," says Fuel director Josh Tickell of the converted to plug-in Prius hybrid that he drove on a mix of battery power and algae fuel blended with conventional gasoline. (Biello) Project profile In a project for producing algae fuel several factors have to be taken into account such as capital investment involved, availability of suitable space for growing algae for the project, environmental clearances by the local bodies and the governments, infrastructural facilities available, growth, research and development in the industry, marketability of the products and availability of managerial skills and skilled labor. The country of Cyprus is considered ideal for the project to grow marine algae for various reasons. The government of Cyprus has taken initiatives for development of microalgae as an alternative fuel by partnering with leading institution in the region. “To foster the development of microalgae as alternative fuel, the MED-ALGAE project will contribute to the establishment of a new value chain for the production of renewable energy based on microalgae which can secure sufficient quantity and quality of biodiesel” (Agricultural Research Institute, Cyprus). This project funded by European Union focuses on value chain in production of biodiesel from microalgae and the by-products. Cyprus is strategically located in relation to the three continents of Europe, Africa and Asia with excellent port facilities. Source: World Atlas When the industry is at growing stage, it is important to ensure government support by way of providing infrastructural facilities and the institutional support relating to dissemination of information, knowledge and R&D. Cyprus Energy Agency (1) stated “The project "Production of biofuels from microalgae in selected Mediterranean Countries" is funded by the Programme ENPI European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) ? Mediterranean Sea Basin Joint Operational Programme. The consortium is consisted of 12 organisations: research organizations, academic institutions, energy agencies, private organizations from 6 countries: Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta, Lebanon and Egypt.” The ideal location for the manufacturing facilities for the project within the country of Cyprus could be at or near Kyrenia in view of port and other transportation facilities available in this city and its nearness to the capital Nicosia. The project is expected to create value chain for production of algae fuels and by-products which can cater to the needs of the markets in Europe, Asia and Africa effectively due to the country’s strategic geographical location. According to Cyprus Investment Promotion Agency, geographical position, the advanced infrastructure facilities and attractive advantages in taxation makes the country an international shipping centre with reputation.  Cyprus is an oil importing country and the renewable energy projects like algae fuel project like this will reduce country’s dependence on fossil fuels in the future significantly. Also, the project in this country has the flexibility of using sea, river or land for development that is essential from scalability point of view in the future. Availability of good area for growing marine algae in sea with temperature conditions required for its growth is very important for the project. Mediterranean belt and other sub-tropical regions of the planet have suitable climate with moderate temperature for growing algae. Climate in the Mediterranean belt around the country of Cyprus is considered more ideal for growing marine algae. An area of about 100,000 to 120,000 square meters in sea can provide adequate infrastructure for development of the project to produce algae biofuel. Dinoflagellate microalgae is found by researchers at ICTA and ICM-CSIC, Spain to be ideal for cultivation with no environmental threat in Mediterranean climate based on the factors such as growth, production of biomas and the quantity of lipids per cell to produce biodiesel (Algae Industry Magazine.com, 2013). Fuentes-Grunewald et al. (2009, p. 1223) stated “Two species of Dinophyceae, K. veneficum and A. andersoni, and one Raphidophyte species, H. akashiwo, were found to be of particular interest as a bioresource for biodiesel production, based on: (1) their high lipid content; (2) their moderate net growth rate; (3) their high average wet biomass; (4) their short period of growth (28–35 days) compared with terrestrial plants;” Biomas can be converted into biofuels or various forms of energy through thermal, chemical or biochemical process. Apart from gasoline, jet fuel, bioethanol, biodiesel and biogas, algae can be used for producing alkanes without sunlight in heat controlled environment. There are various methods applied for producing hydrogen biologically. But, technology is in developmental stages and commercial viability is yet to be established in several methods for producing various algae based products. There are various by-products such as agar a gelatinous product used in chemical and pharmaceutical industry, alginic acid used by industries such as paper, textiles and pharmaceutical and carrageenan used in food, beverage and various other industries. In marketing of biofuel, demand is not a constraint since Cyprus is an oil importing country and the demand for clean and energy efficient fuel has been rising due to increased awareness among the public. The various by-products such as agar and alginic acid are used by food and pharmaceutical industries in Europe and paper, textiles and chemical industries in African and Asian countries. Oilgae (a) states “the starch component of the biomass makes a suitable feedstock for the production of ethanol. The residue that is left over could then be used for conventional animal, fish or poultry   feed, or for other nutraceuticals. There are emerging technologies using which the residue could be used to make products such as bioplastics.” The use of biofuels involves lesser emission of carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide compared to fossil fuels. More and more consumers prefer green label products manufactured by using environment friendly commodities. Algae by-products are harmless compounds. Algae cell could be considered as a mini ethanol producing unit. There are several methods of extraction of oil from algae like Lipid extraction and Organic Co-solvent mixtures used by the industries. Growth of technology in extraction is gradually to pick up pace. Extraction of oil by chemical methods includes Hexane Solvent Method, Soxhlet extraction and Supercritical fluid extraction. Hexane is predominantly used for solvent extraction as it is relatively inexpensive. “The oil dissolves in the cyclohexane, and the pulp is filtered out from the solution. The oil and cyclohexane are separated by means of distillation. These two stages (cold press & hexane solvent) together will be able to derive more than 95% of the total oil present in the algae” (Oilgae (c)). In Soxhlet extraction also organic solvents like hexane or ether are used. “In supercritical fluid/CO2 extraction, CO2 is liquefied under pressure and heated to the point that it has the properties of both a liquid and a gas, this liquified fluid then acts as the solvent in extracting the oil” (Oilgae (c)). “Once the oil's extracted, it’s refined using fatty acid chains in a process called transesterification. Here, a catalyst such as sodium hydroxide is mixed in with an alcohol such as methanol. This creates a biodiesel fuel combined with a glycerol. The mixture is refined to remove the glycerol. The final product is algae biodiesel fuel” (HowStuffWorks) “Chemically, transesterification means taking a triglyceride molecule or a complex fatty acid, neutralizing the free fatty acids, removing the glycerin and creating an alcohol ester. This is accomplished by mixing methanol with sodium hydroxide to make sodium methoxide. This liquid is then mixed into vegetable oil. The entire mixture then settles. Glycerin is left on the bottom and methyl esters, or biodiesel, is left on top” (Oilgae (d)). A biological process that breaks down organic materials (feedstocks) in the absence of oxygen (anaerobic conditions) into methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) is called anaerobic digestion. “Supercritical fluids processing is a recently developed technique that is capable of simultaneously extracting and converting oils into biofuels. In this process, supercritical methanol or ethanol is employed as both the oil extraction medium and the catalyst used in the transesterification reaction. (Arnold et al., 22) Pyrolysis is the chemical decomposition of a condensed substance by heating. (ibid) Gasification provides a flexible way to produce different liquid fuels, primarily through Fishcer-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) or mixed alcohol synthesis of syngas.” (ibid) Gasification of biomass requires four steps: - Heating and drying to drive the moisture out - no reactions - Pyrolysis in the absence of O2 to produce volatile gases - Gas-solid reactions to produce H2, CO and CH4 from char - Gas-phase reactions to produce H2, CO2 and CH4 Factors affecting algae fuel industry and pollution control Initial investment required for the project would be heavy in view of emerging technology used in the industries. The chances of the plant and machinery becoming obsolete in a short span of time cannot be ruled out. Servicing of debt will be very difficult in such cases. Also, the industry may need additional capital investments in line with the development of technology. Therefore, securing long term contracts on fixed price basis over a period of time is very important. The governments in various countries are tightening the environmental regulations in relation to the industry which could affect productivity, reduce cost competitiveness of the products and have impact on pollutant discharges. For example, “US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates new microbial products of biotechnology under Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)…Bioengineered algae being cultivated outside falls within USDA’s statutory authority under the Plant Protection Act” (Lattimore). Algal blooms are mainly caused by nutrient pollution may be harmful to the environment. The industries have to comply with the standards prescribed for discharge of nutrients mixed water into water or other sources in line with the environmental regulations. The issue of algal blooming is not a very major constraint in the case of marine algae. “Some countries have regulatory requirements that relate to micro-organisms and algae with respect to their manufacture, importation, or processing for commercial activities, including R&D activities, as well as to their release to the environment” (Algal Biomass Organization, 10). Since algal blooming can affect fishing industry, it could become a politically sensitive issue unless strict controls are enforced on water treatment and disposal. At the same time, the stringent regulations made by the governments might be difficult to comply with. In fact, in the case of marine algae there exists symbiotic relationship between algae and fish. Since green algae are the food source for fish, balancing of biological control becomes easier. Strategic importance of algae as biofuel Biofuel is the key to energy security of the world for a sustainable economic development in the future. Depletion of fossil fuels coupled with relentless growth in consumption of oil consequent upon globalization of economy in various countries of the world and economic growth of the emerging economies have put greater pressure on oil prices. Increase in consumption has led to climate change due to global warming and increase in price of oil is the major cause of worldwide inflation, especially in oil importing countries. Therefore, development of renewable energy sources such as solar power, wind energy and bio-fuels is essential to conserve the precious natural resources for the use of future generations as well. All these three sources of renewable energy cannot be exploited by all the countries of the world at all the times due to seasonal changes in the climate, availability of land and resources. In fact, exploitation of all the sources of energy should be complementary to each other for effective results. Hannon et al. (p. 3) observed “Algae production strains also have the potential to be bioengineered, allowing improvement of specific traits and production of valuable co-products, which may allow algal biofuels to compete economically with petroleum. These characteristics make algae a platform with a high potential to produce cost-competitive biofuels.” Bio-fuels and food security Growth of biofuels industry is linked not only to energy security of the world but also food security. The area under cultivation of biofuel crops such as sugar cane and jatropha for producing ethanol has been increasing over years. Using agricultural lands for growing biofuel crops reduces the output of food crops. Therefore, if agricultural lands are increasingly used for growing biofuel crops, it will have serious implications on food security of the world. Already food inflation in various countries has been steadily increasing. However, in the case of algae as an alternative energy source, lands not suitable for agriculture could be effectively used for growing algae. Also, the flexibility in use of land, fresh water or sea water depending upon the ecological conditions in various countries makes algae as an ideal alternate renewable energy source. Future developments Hannon et al (3) stated that there are challenges in several areas such as strain isolation, fuel extraction, refining, and residual biomass utilization. (13) The development of heterologous gene expression tools and researches in cloning of genes based on transcomplementation are undertaken. According to Oilgae (b) Key Questions on which On-going Research are Focussed Algal Strains Algaculture Systems - Open Ponds/Closed Systems/Others? How can Algal Oil be Produced on a Large Scale to Achieve Benefits & Economies from Scale? Research on the Energy Cycle of the whole process - Total Energy inputs and Outputs  The possibility of scalability and mass production of algae fuels and its reduced carbon content make this renewable energy source attractive and many varieties of algae fuels are under development. Chloroplast is considered as a source of energy for conversion of light energy. Research in this area is undertaken for exploiting this opportunity commercially. Algae can be used for producing several other by-products such as protein, starch and pigments which are used in various industries. Bio-engineered marine algae have greater growth potential in future. “The ability to genetically transform marine algae into biofuel crop is important because it expands the kinds of environment in which algae can be conceivably grown for biofuels” (McDonald, 2012). Summary and Conclusion Increasing international oil prices and global warming due to environmental pollution forced the world community to focus on development of renewable energy sources for sustainable economic development. Developing biofuels as an alternate energy source has gathered momentum over years. Algae fuel as a source of energy has immense potential for growth as it is amenable for mass production. Climatic conditions of Mediterranean and sub-tropical countries with moderate temperature are found to be suitable for growing algae to produce biofuel and other algae based by-products with good potential for marketing. However, factors that affect the industry such as heavy investment involved in the projects and environmental regulations need to be reviewed carefully with reference to the country of Cyprus where the project is proposed to be setup. Since the extraction and refining process of algae fuel involves integration of biological and engineering expertise, co-ordination at various levels among government agencies, research institutions and industries is important for development of technology. Variety of catalysts used in extraction and refining processes and various classes of algae such as tank algae, saltwater algae and red marine algae with a variety of species under each class used by the industries call for pooling of knowledge, experience and research skills for consolidating the progress made so far and for doing further research. The international governments and the institutions have to play leading role in providing much needed support to the growing industry for sustainable development in the long run. References Algae Industry Magazine.com. Dinoflagellate microalgae show biofuel potential in Spanish study. Web. 2 May 2013 Agricultural Research Institute, Cyprus. “Production of biodiesel from Algae in selected Mediterranean Countries.” Med-algae. Web. 27 April 2013 Algal Biomas Organization. Draft Guidance Document: Algal Industry Minimum Descriptive Language. Web. 26 April 2013 Arnold, William, Chawla, Kunal and Hass, Michael. “Evaluation of Algae Biodiesel Production by Transesterification.” WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE 2nd March 2012. Web. 28 April 2013 Biello, David. “Algaeus lives! A modified Prius goes cross-country on fuel from algae.” Scientific American Sep 18 2009. Web. 27 April 2013 Fuentes-Grunewald, Claudio, Garces, Esther, Rossi, Sergio and Camp, Jordi. Use of the dinoflagellate Karlodinium veneficum as a sustainable source of biodiesel production. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol (2009) 36:1215–1224 Hannon, Mochael, Gimpel, Javier, Tran, Miller, Rasala, Beth and Mayfield, Stephen. “Biofuels from algae: challenges and potential.” National Institute of Health. Web. 25 April 2013 Also published in Biofuels 2010 September ; 1(5): 763–784. HowStuffWorks, How Algae Biodiesel Works. Web. 25 April 2013 Kothari, Aman and Gujral, Srbjeet Sing. “INTRODUCTION TO BIO-FUEL AND ITS PRODUCTION FROM ALGAE: AN OVERVIEW.” International Journal of Pharmacy and Biological Sciences Volume 3, Issue 1, Jan-Mar 2013, pp. 260-280. Lattimore, Rachel, G. “Bloomin’ Government! Environmental Laws and Regulations That May Impact Algae Production.” Arent Fox PLLC Feb 20 2008. Web. 26 April 2013 McDonald, K. Bioengineered Marine Algae Expands Environments Where Biofuels Can Be Produced. News Centre, UC San Diego. Web. 3 May 2013 Oilgae (a). Non Fuel Products from Algae. Web. 25 April 2013 Oilgae (b). Algae Biodiesel Research. Web. 25 April 2013 Oilgae (c). Extraction of Algae by Chemical Methods. Web. 26 April 2013 Oilgae (d). Transesterification. Web. 26 April 2013 Scott S. A., Davey, M.P., Dennis, J. S., Horst, I., Howe, C.J., Lea-Smith, D. J. and Smith, A. G. “Biodiesel from algae: challenges and prospects.” Current Opinion in Biotechnology 2010. 21(3):277-86. World Atlas. Cyprus. Web. 25 April 2013 Read More