Integrated Evaluation of Cost, Emissions, and Resource Potential for Algal Biofuels at the National Scale

Costs, emissions, and resource availability were modeled for the production of 5 billion gallons yr–1 (5 BGY) of renewable diesel in the United States from Chlorella biomass by hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL). The HTL model utilized data from a continuous 1-L reactor including catalytic hydrothermal...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental science & technology 2014-05, Vol.48 (10), p.6035-6042
Main Authors: Davis, Ryan E, Fishman, Daniel B, Frank, Edward D, Johnson, Michael C, Jones, Susanne B, Kinchin, Christopher M, Skaggs, Richard L, Venteris, Erik R, Wigmosta, Mark S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Air Pollutants - analysis
Air Pollutants - economics
Algae
Alternative fuels. Production and utilization
Applied sciences
Biodiesel fuels
Biofuels - analysis
Biofuels - economics
Biomass
Biomass energy
Chlorella
Chlorella - metabolism
Costs and Cost Analysis
Emissions
Energy
Exact sciences and technology
Fuels
Gasoline - analysis
Gasoline - economics
Geography
Greenhouse Effect
Greenhouse gases
Growth models
Miscellaneous
Productivity
United States
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Summary:Costs, emissions, and resource availability were modeled for the production of 5 billion gallons yr–1 (5 BGY) of renewable diesel in the United States from Chlorella biomass by hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL). The HTL model utilized data from a continuous 1-L reactor including catalytic hydrothermal gasification of the aqueous phase, and catalytic hydrotreatment of the HTL oil. A biophysical algae growth model coupled with weather and pond simulations predicted biomass productivity from experimental growth parameters, allowing site-by-site and temporal prediction of biomass production. The 5 BGY scale required geographically and climatically distributed sites. Even though screening down to 5 BGY significantly reduced spatial and temporal variability, site-to-site, season-to-season, and interannual variations in productivity affected economic and environmental performance. Performance metrics based on annual average or peak productivity were inadequate; temporally and spatially explicit computations allowed more rigorous analysis of these dynamic systems. For example, 3-season operation with a winter shutdown was favored to avoid high greenhouse gas emissions, but economic performance was harmed by underutilized equipment during slow-growth periods. Thus, analysis of algal biofuel pathways must combine spatiotemporal resource assessment, economic analysis, and environmental analysis integrated over many sites when assessing national scale performance.
ISSN:0013-936X
1520-5851
DOI:10.1021/es4055719