Industrial scale demonstration of sustainable algae cultures for biofuel production (ALL-GAS)

Framework: FP7 — Cooperation
Programme: Energy
Destination: Renewable fuel production
Action type: Collaborative project
Countries involved: Spain,Netherlands,Austria,Netherlands,United Kingdom,Germany,Germany,Türkiye
Call:  (FP7-ENERGY-2010-2, 2010)
Start date: 2011-05-01
End date: 2019-08-31
Duration (months): 100.0
Total project cost (EUR): 12454932.36
EU funding (EUR): 7106680.0
Participants: 8
Project status: CLOSED

This project will demonstrate on large scale the sustainable production of bio-fuels based on low-cost microalgae cultures using municipal waste water. The full chain of processes from algal ponds to biomass separation, processing for downstream biofuel production and purification, as well as the use in vehicles, will be implemented on a 10 ha site. During the research phase of the project, led by the U. Southampton, and with the help of sustainability analysis, the most suitable site for the objectives was selected in Chiclana / Cadiz on a wastewater treatment plant operated by the coordinator, FCC aqualia. As some key process elements have not yet been proven on industrial scale, the technical risks were limited by a phased approach. First a pilot plant (6 x 32 m2), then a prototype (2 x 500 m2) was built, while the first stage of the demo (6 x 5000 m2) is being constructed in 2016. Municipal wastewater influent and nutrients stimulate algae growth, and the cultivation system produces a final effluent in conformity with European discharge standards and reuse requirements. The specified algae yield close to 100 t/ha/yr is obtained by integrating and upscaling innovative systems to double algal yields and decreasing energy consumption with novel raceway design to allow a positive energy balance. After harvesting with dissolved air flotation, some biomass was concentrated and extracted, to be processed as biodiesel by a consortium partner, BDI Bioenergy, to demonstrate its use in a motor test bed. In parallel, most of residual algae will be digested, together with wastewater and its solids, in order to produce biogas and CO2. The biogas will be purified and compressed to serve as vehicle fuel, with an estimated yield of the fuel needs of 10 cars per hectare (about twice the production of sugar cane alcohol or palm oil diesel). In prototype operation, it was demonstrated that CO2 can be obtained by the thermal transformation of biomass, both from internal or external sources (digestate from residual algae and wastewater solids, or local agricultural or horticultural residues). The generated flue-gases could be used, in addtion to solar energy, as heating source for drying the biomass previous to its transformation. During the prototype phase, the whole chain was built and operated with each unit in representative size – for instance, ponds of 1000 m2 linked to the respective harvesting, processing and digestion. After completing the demo unit, it will be operated for two years together with the biogas upgrading (Hygear) and a fleet of four test cars provided by consortium partners (VW) The prototype was investigated for environmental and social impacts, and life cycle analysis was performed by Fraunhofer Umsicht with a methodology common to other projects in www.algaecluster.eu . The results are disseminated in systematic communications, to allow extrapolation to other sites, and a conference was organised to share the conclusions (www.let2016.org).

Keywords: demonstration algae nutrient recovery biogas biofuel co2 capture high rate ponds anaerobic digestion