Aquatic BiofuelsNew Options for Bioenergy

Tony Piccolo

Fish Utilization and Marketing Service (FIIU)

Thesis Topic (MBA - University of Malta – Rome Campus)

•What are aquatic biofuels•Why produce aquatic biofuels•Conversion systems•Growth and harvesting•Potential for developing countries•Challenges and Opportunities

WHAT ARE AQUATICBIOFUELS?

Why ALGAE?

• Does not compete with agriculture

• High yield per acre

•Contains no sulphur therefore no SO2 emissions

•Non toxic and highly biodegradable

•Does not require soil for growth

•Uses as little as 30cm of water per year per hectare (open pond system)

•Adaptable anywhere even at great distances from water

•Abatement of CO2 – carbon neutral

Oil yield per hectare of microalgae significantly exceeds other common oil sources such as soya and rapeseed

39 500

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Soya Rapessed (oil) Micro Algae

Oil yield from algae compared to soya and rapeseed

446 1190

39 500PBR*

*PBR – Photo Bio-Reactor

88 timesmore than

soya

33 timesmore thanrapeseed

Photo Bio-Reactors?

•Using Photo Bio-Reactors is expensive but it is a State of the Art Technology, it produces higher yields than other systems.

•However, Development and Processing costs are still quite high and perhaps not suited yet for developing countries.

Microalgae Biofixation Process – with wastewater

Open pond wastewater has demonstrated productivities of 100 tonne/ha/yrtonne per hecatre per year.

Costs and key performance parameters for Open Pond biofixation systems for GHG abatement are:

• Land capital, cost of ponds, harvesting, processing, water supply, infrastructure + operating costs (around US$120/tonne)

• Raceway mixed ponds capital costs of about US$100,000 per hectare

• Availability or transport of flue gas and/or waste water to the ponds

• Algal productivity / harvestability / processing

• Product values: biofuels, GHG abatement, reclaimed water, fertilisers, other co products.

Caution – With present technology fuel only algal systems are not plausible on their own - they require additional revenues.

Adaptability to developing countries – other key factor requirements

Algae production with Photo Bio-Reactors (PBR)More suitable for Higher Income Countries (due to higher start-up costs)

Algae production with MBP (Microalgae Biofixation Process) More suitable for Lower Income Countries(due to lower start-up costs)

AVIATION INDUSTRY

FISH WASTE – From Aquaculture Farms •Press the fish waste

•Oil is extracted through a water separation process at 90o C  •Manganese (Mn), methanol (9%) and caustic soda is added.

•The by-product glycerine is sold to the cosmetic industry and the residues are made into fishmeal. •1kg of fish waste can produce just over 1lt of bio-diesel.

Aquafinca - Honduras Agifish – Viet Nam

Fish Waste - Key points and feasibility for developing countries

•Technology is adaptable and transferable in many developing regions.

• It can provide livelihoods through the production of fish, and produce local energy free from GHG emissions.   

• Relatively little investment required.

• Fish waste could also promote more efficient utilization of aquatic living resources and generate additional income for fishers' and fish farmers' communities.

• Adaptable on large fishing trawlers.   

• Fishing Ports

Aquatic Biofuels – Challenges, Opportunities and Gains

Algae

• Cost intensive especially for Photo Bio-Reactors may be suitable for Higher Income Countries.

• Open pond systems are much more viable although real costs are still not available, by-products can however make the process completely viable.

• Abatement of CO2 Mitigation from the conversion of the algal biomass to renewable fuels – directly substituting fossil fuels – coal and gas

• Each tonne of microalgae biomass produced = about a tonne of CO2 abated

Both algal to bio-fuel technologies are therefore completely Carbon Neutral

Fish waste

• The oil produced for bio-diesel is already marketable as fish oil, more fish oil would have to be produced to cater for the demand in bio-diesel this may disrupt fish oil markets.

• The technology is in place and is transferable to other developing countries as pilot project studies.

PROJECT PROPOSAL

WORKING GROUPtony.piccolo@fao.org

alessandro.flammini@fao.org

Thank you.Questions?