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Current Large-Scale US Biofuel Potential from Microalgae Cultivated in Photobioreactors

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Abstract

Current assessments of the commercial viability and productivity potential of microalgae biofuels have been forced to extrapolate small-scale research data. The resulting analyses are not representative of microalgae cultivation and processing at industrial scale. To more accurately assess the current near-term realizable, large-scale microalgae productivity potential in the USA, this paper presents a model of microalgae growth derived from industrial-scale outdoor photobioreactor growth data. This model is combined with thermal models of the photobioreactor system and 15 years of hourly historical weather data from 864 locations in the USA to more accurately assess the current productivity potential of microalgae. The resulting lipid productivity potential of Nannochloropsis is presented in the form of a map that incorporates various land availability models to illustrate the near-term feasible cultivation locations and corresponding productivity potentials for the USA. The discussion focuses on a comparison of model results with productivity potentials currently reported in literature, an assessment demonstrating the scale of Department of Energy 2030 alternative fuel goals, and a critical comparison of productivity potential in several key regions of the USA.

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Abbreviations

PAR:

Photosynthetic active radiation

PFD:

Photon flux density

GIS:

Geographic information system

PBR:

Photobioreactor

ORP:

Open raceway pond

DOE:

Department of Energy

NLCD:

National Land Cover Database

c p :

Specific heat of water (kJ kg−1 K−1)

E a :

Activation energy carboxylation Rubisco (J mol−1)

G bottom :

Solar energy reaching the bottom (W m−2)

G n :

Solar energy reaching node n (W m−2)

G sur :

Solar energy reaching the surface (W m−2)

h i :

Convection coefficient (W m−2 K−1)

h r :

Net radiation coefficient with the sky (W m−2 K−1)

k :

Thermal conductivity of water (W m−1 K−1)

L n :

Distance between nodes (m)

m n :

Total mass represented by node n (kg)

Q i :

Energy stored/released by ground (W m−2)

R :

Universal gas constant (J K−1 mol−1)

T 1 :

Temperature at node 1 (K)

T ambient :

Temperature of the ambient (K)

T n :

Temperature at node n (K)

T n − 1 :

Temperature at node n minus 1 (K)

T n + 1 :

Temperature at node n plus 1 (K)

Topt :

Optimum microaglae growth temperature (K)

T sky :

Temperature of the sky (K)

T sur :

Temperature at the surface (K)

T :

Temperature of microalgae culture (K)

t :

Time (s)

φ T :

Temperature efficiency factor

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Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge support from Solix Biosystems and thermal modeling support form Kristina M. Weyer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State University, Engineering Building A103Q, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA

    Jason C. Quinn

  2. Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA

    Kimberly Catton

  3. Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA

    Nicholas Wagner & Thomas H. Bradley

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Correspondence to Jason C. Quinn.

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Quinn, J.C., Catton, K., Wagner, N. et al. Current Large-Scale US Biofuel Potential from Microalgae Cultivated in Photobioreactors. Bioenerg. Res. 5, 49–60 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-011-9165-z

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