Algae Systems has completed demonstration of a new biofuel production method jointly with Japan’s IHI Corporation.
The demonstration plant in Daphne will pioneer eco-friendly, low-cost energy generating waste water treatment process.
The procedure is founded on the conversion of algae and wastewater to energy and clean water.
During the process, wastewater is combined with algae and then using carbon-negative technology, energy-generating treatment process is initiated, yielding both bio-fuel and drinking water.
Algae is a component in many experimental production strategies but this method is different as it uses a system that can apply a variety of algae types to production, adding value by treating wastewater, and producing a drop-in fuel solution using hydrothermal liquefaction to produce fuels that do not need to be blended.
The Daphne approach takes local strains of algae to increase production rates and optimize wastewater treatment opportunities while most companies in the sector use proprietary strains of algae that have high lipid outputs.
Floating membrane photobioreactors gets wastewater from a local municipal wastewater utility. The algae consume nutrients in the wastewater, reducing the cost of water treatment.
Photosynthesis stimulates chemical reactions that can power the future operations.
In addition, the motion of waves and wind provides ideal temperature and mixing controls.
To position the system commercially a valuable land footprint would not be required as all these factors reduce the cost of operating system.
This demonstration plant is just one of a few algae plants throughout the world and will be the first of its kind to create a carbon negative fuel by treating wastewater, making it one of the most sophisticated operational plants that bridge the water-energy nexus and fight global warming.
In another initiative, Algae Systems has demonstrated the conversion of wet algae and other biomass feedstocks into bio-crude oil, and has demonstrated upgrading the bio-crude oil into diesel, jet and gasoline.
Recently, the US Department of Energy announced that a research consortium coordinated by Algae Systems and led by SRI International will receive $3.2M in grant funding in 2014 to advance this hydrothermal liquefaction process.