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Economic, Greenhouse Gas, and Resource Assessment for Fuel and Protein Production from Microalgae: 2022 Algae Harmonization Update

Economic, Greenhouse Gas, and Resource Assessment for Fuel and Protein Production from Microalgae: 2022 Algae Harmonization Update

Full Title: Economic, Greenhouse Gas, and Resource Assessment for Fuel and Protein Production from Microalgae: 2022 Algae Harmonization Update
Author(s): Ryan Davis, Troy Hawkins, Andre Coleman, Song Gao, Bruno Klein, Matthew Wiatrowski, Yunhua Zhu, Yiling Xu, Lesley Snowden-Swan, Peter Valdez, Jingyi Zhang, Udayan Singh, and Longwen Ou
Publisher(s): National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Publication Date: February 1, 2024
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):

This report presents an updated “harmonization study” documenting the collaborative analysis of saline microalgae cultivation and conversion to fuels and products. Four national laboratory modeling teams reconvened to investigate the resource, economic, and environmental sustainability implications of integrated systems encompassing large-scale algae farms and conversion biorefineries. Relative to prior harmonization analyses conducted by these partners, the present effort focuses on more near-term technology potential based on the use of nutrient-replete, high protein algal biomass compositions (more readily achievable today without sacrificing cultivation productivity) coupled with individual algae farms varying in size but generally smaller at 3,900 acres on average (more realistic in practice than a fixed 5,000-acre farm scale previously considered). Additionally, the present assessment adds further granularity around carbon dioxide (CO2) sourcing and transport via carbon capture of nearby point sources, as well as handling of high-saline cultivation media and resultant blowdown/disposal processing. Finally, this assessment focuses on conversion opportunities to produce both fuel (prioritizing sustainable aviation fuel [SAF], in this case via hydrothermal liquefaction [HTL]) and protein products for the food and feed markets, recognizing growing needs for such products.

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