Algae Biofuel Fans Get A Do-Over In US, Europe

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The large buyers ditched algae biofuel final yr, with ExxonMobil amongst these making a rush for the exits. Nevertheless, hope springs everlasting among the many small fry. The US Division of Power continues to be forging forward with new algae-related packages, and a brand new EU consortium is cranking up as effectively.

The Algae Biofuel Conundrum

First, the excellent news. Algae farming may present for a extra sustainable, dependable vitality crop provide chain. As a substitute of utilizing up arable land or mowing over numerous ecosystems, an algae operation may leverage a broader vary of website places, together with each indoor and out of doors infrastructure.

One sticky wicket is easy methods to earn a living off the little oil-soaked inexperienced goblins. ExxonMobil supported a longrunning algae research project for greater than 10 years, offering some favorable publicity for itself on the sustainable fuels aspect alongside the best way, earlier than formally passing the algae torch in 2023 (see heaps extra algae biofuel stories here).

One other challenge includes the general carbon footprint of algae biofuel. Some stakeholders are leaning on the thought of deploying algae farms to take in excess carbon dioxide from the air. Nevertheless, final yr a real-world lifecycle assessment indicated that algae biofuel manufacturing may outpace diesel gasoline for carbon emissions.

A New Hope For Algae Biofuel

That doesn’t imply buyers have given up hope. In yet one more “back from the dead” improvement, final October the EU launched a brand new 4-year, €5 million algae biofuel collaboration referred to as the FUELGAE project.

Fuelgae represents a flip of the script. As a substitute of including off-the-shelf carbon seize programs to algae farming operations, the first focus is to give you new programs to seize carbon from industrial operations and steer them into an algae biofuel operation.

By way of attracting non-public sector companions, Fuelgae is working the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals angle, which casts a large web for personal sector {dollars}. Fuelgae additionally factors out that the European Inexperienced Deal coverage units a carbon impartial objective of 2050, with biofuels taking part in a key function in decarbonizing the transportation sector.

“Among various biofuels, algae offer a great advantage because of their growth rates, photosynthetic efficiency, and ability to produce lipids and carbohydrates required for biofuel production,” Fuelgae explains, skipping over the difficulties.

Fuelgae has already recruited 14 companions to display showcase tasks deploying carbon emissions from two websites in Europe, a biorefinery and a metal mill. This system can be networked with other EU algae initiatives as effectively.

US Has Eyes On The Algae Prize

Issues are additionally heating up right here within the US. That features the macroalgae (aka seaweed) aspect. Earlier this yr, the Bioenergy Applied sciences Workplace of the US Division of Power teamed up with the Workplace of Fossil Power and Carbon Administration to launch a brand new $18.8 million funding alternative underneath the title of MACRO, for Mixed Algae Conversion Research Opportunity.

Realistically, the staff notes that macroalgae “are underutilized and are difficult to convert due to their variability, unique chemical make-up, and storage instability.” Nevertheless, the payoff could be important.

“Overcoming these conversion challenges will help build algae biomass supply chains, accelerate their demand, and ultimately, drive the U.S. bioeconomy by enabling greater volumes of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) conversion to algae,” they notice.

Additionally they notice that seaweeds and different “wet waste” sources play a major function within the 2050 decarbonization goal set for the US by the Biden-Harris administration, with a specific emphasis on supporting sustainable aviation fuels and the rising bioeconomy normally.

The chosen awardees shall be introduced in September, with one subject space devoted to extra R&D. That will sound like a child step, and it’s, however the Power Division staff factors out that this a part of the funding spherical addresses “gaps in storage, mobilization, and conversion of readily available algae, including offshore farmed seaweeds, seaweed wastes, and blends of seaweed with other waste algae,” amongst different need-to-know areas.

A second subject space is extra aligned with the Fuelgae timeline. Awardees on this class will give attention to algae farming (micro or macro) with an help from carbon dioxide emissions from energy vegetation and different industrial sources.

Extra Algae For Sustainable Meals Methods

In an fascinating twist, the second subject space is concentrated on value-added merchandise other than algae biofuel.

“Applications are sought that utilize anthropogenic (e.g., fossil fuel derived) CO₂ emissions, including concentrated CO₂ supplied from DAC technologies, in the cultivation process and then convert macro- and/or micro-algae into low-carbon agricultural applications or bioproducts such as animal feed,” the Power Division explains.

The appliance course of closed final month, and a complete of eight awardees shall be introduced in September. In the meantime, the Power Division is already funding one such mission, which is able to end in fish food made from microalgae if all goes in response to plan.

Then again, the bar has been set fairly low at animal feed. Some algae buyers have already spurted far forward of the sector. Within the newest information on that rating, earlier this yr a consortium composed of the Singapore-Netherlands startup Sophie’s Bionutrients and the New Zealand microalgae firm NewFish, together with analysis establishments within the Netherlands and New Zealand, introduced a brand new collaboration on GMO-free, dairy-free different meals for people.

In a press assertion, the companions clarify they’re a part of a “global mission to develop microalgae as the base for sustainable nutrition and novel food products that eliminate animal suffering and promise an ecological footprint far superior to that of intensive industrial farming.”

“This partnership will serve as a starting point for deeper global collaboration between the parties and will accelerate the microalgae foods and nutrition industry. We are solving a global issue, which requires a collective solution,” stated NewFish basic supervisor Hamish Howard.

The Algae Biofuel Market Is Flexing Its Muscle tissues

Circling again to algae biofuel, it seems that persistence is starting to repay. On April 3, the agency Analysis and Markets famous that globally, the algae biofuel market “has experienced remarkable growth.” Additionally they credit score North America with choosing up a management function.

“The global shift toward sustainability is a key driver in the global algae biofuel market, driving both innovation and investment in this renewable energy sector,” Analysis and Markets explains. “This transformation is motivated by the urgent need to address climate change, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and create more sustainable energy solutions.”

The large query is whether or not or not the algae biofuel market can maintain progress, as forecast by Analysis and Markets. If it does, that will surely vindicate the Energy Department.

For that matter, some US researchers are already envisioning algae biofuel farming on Mars. If in case you have any ideas about that, drop a notice within the remark thread.

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Photograph (cropped): Europe’s new Fuelgae project is one other indication of worldwide assist for buyers in search of inexperienced gold within the algae biofuel area (courtesy of Fuelgae).