Algae as a Biofuel

Bryant Swindle
Biology
Carpenter-B3

Bryant Swindle
B3
Algae as a Biofuel

Most people generally think of algae as the green stuff that clogs up ponds. This is true,
but it has so many other important uses. Algae has been used everywhere from ice cream to
bioethanol and it could be a rising star in the future for energy production (Algavia, 2015). Algae
is defined as a simple nonflowering plant group that contains chlorophyll.

Algae can produce biofuel with ease. Although this sounds like a modern idea, it has been
studied by the US, Germany, Israel, and other countries since the end of WWII (Wikimedia,
2015). Laboratories studying the prospect of fuel from algae currently have backing from the US
departments of Agriculture, Energy, Defense, and the National Science Foundation; not to
mention all of the other small companies that have been created and backed for that very idea.
Why is algal biofuel getting this much attention? The belief that algae has been known of for
years is one of being a pest. It can grow anywhere, in freshwater, saline water, even raw sewage.
This, however, can come in handy. Professor H. G. Aach discovered that when algae is starved of
Hydrogen, it can accumulate up to 70% of its weight in lipids. With the proper exposure, the
algae can then be dehydrated and extracted of its triglycerides, a very potent energy source.
Several companies have hitched onto this idea and created startups of their own, like algenol. If
algae fuel was able to receive the proper studies and development, it could weed its way into the
nations energy supplies, changing an annoying pest that spreads everywhere in the summer into
a way to power jets, cars, and electricity plants. Thats why laboratories have backing from
several of the USs major agencies and many companies from around the world.

The process of growing and producing biofuel is both quick and complex. Algae first
starts out being grown in containers. There are currently a few prospects for how this will be
done. The first is an open pond. Open pond systems are large vats of water that sit out in the

open. An automated skimmer takes algae as it grows. Open pond systems are volatile to bacteria
infection and require a strain of algae that isnt sensitive to PH and temperature swings. This
system thus requires algae with low oil content, which is much more hardier but is more difficult
to farm. In the end, this system was let down because it was hard to control and the algae
produced made less fuel (low oil content). The second prospect for raising algae comes from a
more traditional approach: letting algae grow on its own over large areas of waste water. It uses
algal turf scrubbers to farm the algae. This process is slow and only algae common in the
containers area will grow. However, it is an advantageous method because the algae is supplied
with free nutrients and is beneficial to the environment. The third, and most useful, is the closedloop system. Closed-loops can grow algae in glass tubes within a controlled environment. It is
expensive, but more efficient on a massive level. In these machines, called photobioreactors,
algae is grown speedily in a complex of tubes while being hit with sunlight from all levels in the
glass. At the same time, water full of nutrients is pumped throughout the system. This allows
almost any breed to be grown in a completely sterile environment due to the ease of
customizability. With this ease, algae can be grown and harvested within 10 days (Smithsonian,
2014).

Because photobioreactors are so clean and controlled, they can be used to test genetically
modified algae. GMOs are highly useful and algae doesnt miss any of the benefits. Genetically
modifying algae, scientists can rocket growth and amounts of triglycerides. Algae can be
modified to produce lipids and only lipids; in this process the enzyme ADP glucosepyrophosphorylase can be removed, boosting lipid production (Solazyme, 2015). This enzyme
was responsible for starch production, which is nonessential in the fuel-making process. Though

the same engineering, scientists can also reduce the amount of fat-lessening enzymes, increasing
lipid content without stunting growth.

With all of those lipids and triglycerides, algae needs a process to turn into fuel. For
biodiesel, algae needs to be genetically modified to produce oil. After that, the oil can simply be
extracted from the water circulating in the pond or photobioreactor and put through processing
like any other oil. A biorefinery is simply a facility that integrates biomass conversion processes
and equipment to produce fuels, power, and chemicals from biomass (Wikimedia Foundation,
2013). Defining a biorefineries specific processes is difficult because each is full of different
machines made to convert different biomass to energy. No two are alike, as biorefineries are
usually custom built for green companies that market their own strategies (attached is a really
good presentation about one companys methods). Within biorefineries, algae can be converted
to bioethanol, biogasoline, and even methane. Jet fuel is possibly most popular use of algae in an
energy circumstance (Energy.gov, 2013). The SAIC (Science Applications International
Organization) says that 1,000 gallons of oil can be produced per year per acre of algae. Oil from
algae costs about two dollars to extract and three to refine into jet fuel (per gallon). Algae is an
unlimited, almost evasive source; unlike fossil fuels, which are growing scarce and expensive.
Because of this, the US military has begun to construct algal ponds in order to have a cheap fuel
source of (base) jet fuel. Biojet fuel is also chemically similar to normal jet fuel, so no
modifications are needed for normal jets in order to run algae fuel. The fuel also gives out less
emissions.

Algae fuel is cheaper, more cleaner, more efficient, more environmentally friendly, and
less emissive than normal fuels. Why has there not been a big scramble for photobioreactors and

biorefineries? Biofuel is still a new technology that needs refining. It is used today, but in
scarce measures. The problem is that petroleum is cheaper to refine, and money in more
important at first to most businesses. Photobioreactors and algae ponds may recycle wastewater
and create less emissions, but to the nearsighted person it is of little worth if competing fuels can
be cheaper. To make biofuel more popular, we need more efficient processes and cheaper
refineries.

The US departments of Agriculture and Energy both offer incentives for biomass
production and refinement. The advanced biofuel production payment policy will literally help
fund your expansion if you are an advanced producer of biofuels. However, the policy was made
for beginning companies. Only five percent of all funds for this policy is allowed to be given to
companies producing more than 150 million gallons of advanced biofuel per year. The Biomass
Research and Development Initiative gives grants to eligible organizations researching methods,
practices, and technologies involving biomass. The grants definition of biomass is
materials, pre-commercial thinnings, or invasive species on National Forest System land
that qualify as byproducts of preventative treatments, are harvested in accordance with
applicable laws, and would not otherwise be used for higher-value products, as well as
naturally reoccurring organic matter on non-federal or non-tribal lands, including
renewable plant material, feed grains, other plants and trees, algae, and vegetable and
animal waste material and byproducts.
From the official list on the US department of Energys website, there are 9 other incentives, 9
listed regulations, and 11 government organizations all devoted to biomass. Interestingly, all of
them are devoted to encouraging biofuel production and do not mention anything with a negative
connotation. This proves that, as mentioned before, biofuel is still in a primitive state and needs

more study. Many of these regulations have more bolster on creating a low emission fuel for
vehicles and lack emphasis on land used, breeds of biomass allowed, environmental impact when
refining, and several other important details (Alternative...center, 2014).

In conclusion, algae is possibly the most promising biofuel but needs more research.
Algae can be produced cheaply in growing ponds and quickly in photobioreactors. All that
biofuel needs is more study and public exposure in order to gain international usage and
production.

Works Cited
Alabama Gets First-In-World Carbon-Negative Algae Biofuel. CleanTechnica. N.p., 2014.
Web. 1 May 2015. <http://cleantechnica.com/2014/08/20/alabama-gets-first-world-carbonnegative-algae-biofuel/>
Algae In Aviation Fuel. Algae Fuels - All About Algae. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2015.
<http://allaboutalgae.com/aviation-fuel/>
Algae Fuel. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 1 May 2015.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/algae_fuel>
Biorefinery. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 1 May 2015.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/biorefinery>
Energy 101: Algae-To-Fuel. Energy.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2015.

<http://energy.gov/eere/videos/energy-101-algae-fuel>
"Federal Laws and Incentives for Biodiesel." Alternative Fuels Data Center:. U.S. Department of
Energy, n.d. Web. 20 May 2015.

Fuel | Solazyme. Solazyme. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2015. <http://solazyme.com/solutions/fuel/>

Newman, Stefani. How Algae Biodiesel Fuel is Made HowStuffWorks. HowStuffWorks.com,
n.d. Web. 1 May 2015. <http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/greenscience/algae-biodiesel.htm>
Scientists Turn Algae Into Crude Oil In Less Than An Hour. Smithsonian. N.p., n.d. Web. 1
May 2015. <http://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/scientists-turn-algae-into-crudeoil-in-less-than-an-hour-180948282/?no-ist>
Taking Food Further With Microalgae | AlgaVia. AlgaVia. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2015.
<http://algavia.com/>
What Is a Biorefinery? NREL: Biomass Research -. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2015.
<http://www.nrel.gov/biomass/biorefinery.html>
Biorefinery presentationhttp://www.biorefinery.nl/fileadmin/biorefinery/BioreFuture_2008/Definition_and_Techni
cal_status_of_biorefineries1.pdf