“the solar microalgae industry: then, now, and...

.

Keynote address “The Solar Microalgae Industry:

Then, Now, and Coming”John Benemann

CEO, MicroBio Engineering Inc.San Luis Obispo, California

jbenemann@microbioengineering.com.

MicroBio Engineering Inc., San Luis Obispo, California

Facilities Designs – Equipment – Wastewater Reclamation – Scientific Consulting – R&D – Life Cycle Assessments – Techno-Economic Analyses

Founded 2006, John Benemann (CEO) and Tryg Lundquist (CTO, Professor Cal Poly)

San Francisco

Los Angeles

Delhi

San Luis Obispo

Delhi, California, wastewater treatment with raceway ponds

San Francisco

Los Angeles

Two 1.4-hectare raceways

Wastewater influent (‘Facultative’) ponds

Effluent discharge to percolation beds

Wastewater inflow

Harvested algaebiomass drying beds

Delhi, CA, Algae Wastewater Treatment Plant, 1998 - present

Paddle wheels

Effluent storage/ maturation

pond

Delhi, CA. Dept. of Energy project to maximize productivity

6

0

10

20

30

40

50

Prod

uctiv

ity (g

-m2-

d)

33 g/m2-d annual average yield in small raceways with wastewater influent and resulting mixotrophic biomass growth

RecycleNutrientsEnergyWater

The RNEW® Process • CO2 addition for complete nutrient removal• Algae harvesting by bioflocculation (settling)• Biofuels co-products (anaerobic digestion, HTL, etc.)• Low cost and low energy vs. conventional treatment

Orlando Utilities Commission Stanton Energy Center (OUC-SEC ) ~900 MW Coal-fired Power Plant

Orlando Utilities Commission Stanton Energy Center (OUC-SEC ) ~900 MW Coal-fired Power Plant

LandfillLandfillLandfill

GasLandfill

Gas

BiogasBiogas

wastewater / Nutrients & water

wastewater / Nutrients & water

Coal Power Plant flue gas CO2 utilization for biogas production(MicroBio Engineering Inc, OUC-SEC, others. DOE NETL Project)

Flue Gas CO2 & Electricity

Flue Gas CO2 & Electricity

Future Algae Farm (100 ponds; 1,000 acres)

~900 MW Coal-fired Power Plant OUC-SECMicroBio Engineering Inc. (MBE, with OUC-SEC and Arizona State U.), has operated four 3.5 m2 microalgae ponds (provided by MBE) using flue gas CO2.

~900 MW Coal-fired Power Plant OUC-SECMicroBio Engineering Inc. (MBE, with OUC-SEC and Arizona State U.), has operated four 3.5 m2 microalgae ponds (provided by MBE) using flue gas CO2.

Techno-economic analysis concluded that biogas production much too expensive to replace coal. Now studying process for filamentous algae (above) cultivation for production of animal feeds

Techno-economic analysis concluded that biogas production much too expensive to replace coal. Now studying process for filamentous algae (above) cultivation for production of animal feeds

The Solar Microalgae Industry: Then, Now, and Coming Then: Chlorella, 1960s: Japan, nutritional supplements, circular ponds

Spirulina, 1970s: Mexico (carbonate pond), 1970s Thailand, raceways Dunaliella (betacarotene), 1980s: Australia, ponds; Israel raceways Haematococcus (for astaxanthin), 2000s: Israel, PBRs; Hawaii raceways

Now: Phycocyanin (food coloring) 2015 extracted from Spirulina (Earthrise). Diatoms (Cyclotella, etc.) aquaculture feeds (hatcheries, nursery)

Spirulina microfarms, France, Africa, expanding around world. Green Algae for wastewater treatment (with biofuels); Biofertilizers

Coming: Nannochloropsis,2017?, nutraceuticals, USA, China… raceways, PBRsTetraselmis, Isochrysis, Porphyridium, ?? Nutraceuticals, pigments… “AquaFeeds” – to replace fish meal and fish oil (@$2,000/t)Specialty animal feeds (carotenoids, vitamins, nutrients (@$1000/t) Commodity feeds and fuels ($<500/t )??

However, first a brief history of applied phycology, algal foods & fuels

Jackson and Ellms (1886): H2 Evolution by Anabaena cylindrica - collected from a pond,

placed into glass bottle

Jackson and Ellms (1886): H2 Evolution by Anabaena cylindrica - collected from a pond,

placed into glass bottle

“...on the arid lands ... forests of glass tubes will extend ... inside of these will take place the photochemical processes… mastered by human industry, ... make them bear even more abundant fruit than nature”

Giacomo Ciamician, Univ. Bologna Science 36: 385 1912

“…edible microscopic organisms in lakes. Every lake will become a

kettle of ready-made soup that only needs be heated. Contented

people will lie about on the shores having dinner.”

from Took - The Futurists Drum. Moscow, 1915

Velimir Khlebnikov 1885 -1922 (poet and futurist)

Algae mass culture was first investigated over sixty years ago Carnegie Institute of Washington Algae for Food Project

Jack Myers Bessel Kok

Burlew (ed.) Algae Culture from Laboratory to Pilot Plant, 1953

1956, Stanford2006, Austin, Tx

Inoculum Tubes

Plastic bag-type photobioreactors

First algal mass culture project (Chlorella), 1950

Inoculum Tubes

Plastic bag-type photobioreactors

First algal mass culture project (Chlorella), 1950

March 1954: “The time may come, and in the fairly near future at that, when you’ll walk into a restaurant and ask the waiter for an order of roastalgae.”

Technology and Culture, Vol. 38, No. 3, July 1997, pp. 608-634. https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/3106856.pdf

“…studying past predictions should build a healthy skepticism…”

Shallow, raceway mixed ponds(“High Rate Ponds”) developed by Prof. Oswald et al., U. Calif.

Berkeley, 1950s for more efficient wastewater treatment

First Wastewater treatment plant with high rate ponds, Concord, Calif., ~1960 (Precursor to Delhi, see above)

Prof. Bill Oswald, Univ. Cal Berkeley

Oswald, Golueke (1960) first proposed integrating

wastewater treatmentwith large-scale

algae biofuels production and carried out first

techno-economic analysis

Production of Microalgae for FuelsProduction of Microalgae for FuelsUS DOE Aquatic Species Program : Algae-to-Oil based on Benemann et al., 1978, 1982, UC Berkeley US DOE Aquatic Species Program : Algae-to-Oil based on Benemann et al., 1978, 1982, UC Berkeley

J. Sheehan, P. Roessler, T. Dunahay, J. WeissmanJ. Benemann

Paul Roessler prior Joe WeissmanNow at Algenol in Florida now at ExxonMobil

THE US DOE AQUATIC SPECIES PROGRAM - 1978 – 1996

In 2005 GreenFuel Technologies Inc. – MIT Campus(left picture) the trigger for algae biofuels hype boomClaimed 85% Nox,50% CO2 removal, 250,000 l oil/ha-y. Raised>$70 million. Moved to Arizona power plant (right, greenhouse) Went broke in 2009, butthat did notdiscourageinvestors

HYPE CYCLE ™Typical sequence of new technologies… also for

algal biofuels

(Green Fuel Technologies, 2005)

(2008: Algenol, Sapphire, Joule, etc.)

(by 2015)

(now?)

(when, soon? )

Algenol CEO Paul Woods Oct 2015 resigns

Lay off 45+ staff

Examples of algae biofuel companies in US. Investments~200 million each

Joule, Red Rock Biofuelsto merge, Nov 12, 2015

Layoff 60+workers…

and CEO

Both companies still operating, a year later…

40 ha biofuels demonstration plant, New Mexico –$50 million in DOE funding, >$200 million in venture investments. Plant no longer operating, is for sale.

40 ha biofuels demonstration plant, New Mexico –$50 million in DOE funding, >$200 million in venture investments. Plant no longer operating, is for sale.

Cellana (Hawaii) “ALDUO™ processMutiproduct biorefinery biofuels and feeds,

also with DOE funding

Global Algae Innovations LLC (GAI)– Hawaii Bioenergy (DOE funded project, also projecting biofuels + feeds)

Gravity fed series of ponds,up to about ~1.3 ha,

no paddle wheel mixing

Power Plant(for CO2)

”The year was 1975, and my professor in Berkeley asked me if I wanted to change the world, and I said, sure, lets grow algae, that started it…”

(Largest algal biofuels project, $300 million? with Synthetic Genomics)

TV spot, 2010-11

Charlie Rose: “in a 2009 joint venture with J. Craig Venter’s Synthetic Genomics, Exxon predicted it could produce fuels in 5 to 10 years …”

Rex Tillerson: “Exxon is at Least 25 Years away from making fuel from algae ” … “We’ve come to understand some limits of that technology, or limits as we understand it today, which doesn’t mean it’s limited forever” 12/12/2016 Tillerson selected as US. Secretary of State!

Interview by Charlie Rose, with Rex Tillerson, CEO ExxonMobil, March 12, 2013

The Solar Microalgae Industry: Then, Now, and Coming Then: Chlorella, 1960s: Japan, nutritional supplements, circular ponds

Spirulina, 1970s: Mexico (carbonate pond), 1970s Thailand, raceways Dunaliella (betacarotene), 1980s: Australia, ponds; Israel raceways Haematococcus (for astaxanthin), 2000s: Israel, PBRs; Hawaii raceways

Now: Phycocyanin (food coloring) 2015 extracted from Spirulina (Earthrise). Diatoms (Cyclotella, etc.) aquaculture feeds (hatcheries, nursery)

Spirulina microfarms, France, Africa, expanding around world. Green Algae for wastewater treatment (with biofuels); Biofertilizers

Coming: Nannochloropsis,2017?, nutraceuticals, USA, China… raceways, PBRsTetraselmis, Isochrysis, Porphyridium, ?? Nutraceuticals, pigments… “AquaFeeds” – to replace fish meal and fish oil (@$2,000/t)Specialty animal feeds (carotenoids, vitamins, nutrients (@$1000/t) Commodity feeds and fuels ($<500/t )?

Chlorella Production started in Japan, 1960Chlorella Production started in Japan, 1960

Bicarbonate Evaporation Pond Near Mexico CitySite of first Spirulina production facility (1974-1995)

Earthrise in S. California (start 1980), near Salton Sea produces Spirulina, also extracts Phycocyanin

Earthrise in S. California (start 1980), near Salton Sea produces Spirulina, also extracts Phycocyanin

Cyanotech Corp., in Kona, Hawaii (1983)Produce Spirulina and Haematococcus (astaxanthin]

Cyanotech Corp., in Kona, Hawaii (1983)Produce Spirulina and Haematococcus (astaxanthin]

Parry Nutraceuticals, Ltd. India (1996)

Cognis -BASF plant Dunaliella production beta carotene– Western Australia (~1980)

Haematococcus pluvialis, astaxanthin, Israel, 2000s

Cyanotech Corp in Hawaii. Red ponds for Haematococcus, for astaxanthin, others cultivate Spirulina

Heliae

World’s largest Haematococcus farm, in China

The Solar Microalgae Industry: Then, Now, and Coming Then: Chlorella, 1960s: Japan, nutritional supplements, circular ponds

Spirulina, 1970s: Mexico (carbonate pond), 1970s Thailand, raceways Dunaliella (betacarotene), 1980s: Australia, ponds; Israel raceways Haematococcus (for astaxanthin), 2000s: Israel, PBRs; Hawaii raceways

Now: Phycocyanin (food coloring) 2015 extracted from Spirulina (Earthrise). Diatoms (Cyclotella, etc.) aquaculture feeds (hatcheries, nursery)

Spirulina microfarms, France, Africa, expanding around world. Green Algae for wastewater treatment (with biofuels); Biofertilizers

Coming: Nannochloropsis,2017?, nutraceuticals, USA, China… raceways, PBRsTetraselmis, Isochrysis, Porphyridium, ?? Nutraceuticals, pigments… “AquaFeeds” – to replace fish meal and fish oil (@$2,000/t)Specialty animal feeds (carotenoids, vitamins, nutrients (@$1000/t) Commodity feeds and fuels ($<500/t )??

Dec 2013: DIC announces $10 M Plant Linablue® natural blue food coloring at Earthrise. Plant inaugurated July 31 , 2015

Phycocyanin

Clam hatchery -nursery

From larvae to seed to market size

SeaAg, Inc., 1989 -2015 Florida, Joe Weissman John Benemann, produced littleneck clams on-shore (grow

diatoms in open ponds for seed clams and grow –out)

SeaAg, Inc., 1989 -2015 Florida, Joe Weissman John Benemann, produced littleneck clams on-shore (grow

diatoms in open ponds for seed clams and grow –out)

Cyclotella grown in open ponds, fed to clams

Belgium, manufacture Phylavive (freeze dried)

AFRICA:, Bengui, Central Africa Republic, June 2015. Example of a Spirulina “microfarm”

AFRICA:, Bengui, Central Africa Republic, June 2015. Example of a Spirulina “microfarm”

Ponds, Christchurch 5 Ha 4 ponds, $<500K Dr. Rupert Craggs, NIWA, New Zealand (Ponds destroyed by earthquakes, rebuilt in N. island)

Sump for CO2 transfer Paddle wheel

Lamellar settler harvesting

Typical Green Algae Species Dominating in Wastewater Ponds

ScenedesmusMicractinium

Actinastrum Chlorella

Cultivation of N2-fixing Nostoc and use as bio fertilizer,Weissman & Benemann, 1986 (unpublished)

The Solar Microalgae Industry: Then, Now, and Coming Then: Chlorella, 1960s: Japan, nutritional supplements, circular ponds

Spirulina, 1970s: Mexico (carbonate pond), 1970s Thailand, raceways Dunaliella (betacarotene), 1980s: Australia, ponds; Israel raceways Haematococcus (for astaxanthin), 2000s: Israel, PBRs; Hawaii raceways

Now: Phycocyanin (food coloring) 2015 extracted from Spirulina (Earthrise). Diatoms (Cyclotella, etc.) aquaculture feeds (hatcheries, nursery)

Spirulina microfarms, France, Africa, expanding around world. Green Algae for wastewater treatment (with biofuels); Biofertilizers

Coming: Nannochloropsis,2017?, nutraceuticals, USA, China… raceways, PBRsTetraselmis, Isochrysis, Porphyridium, ?? Nutraceuticals, pigments… “AquaFeeds” – to replace fish meal and fish oil (@$2,000/t)Specialty animal feeds (carotenoids, vitamins, nutrients (@$1000/t) Commodity feeds and fuels ($<500/t )??

Hearol Plant 10 hectares100 ponds

Hearol Plant 10 hectares100 ponds

Yantai Heirong Biology Technology Co. Ltd: Nannochloropsis production (2012). Plant failed due

to product contamination, other issues

In-Pond Algae

Tube Settler Effluent

Imperial, Texas

Unlined production Ponds for Nannochloropsis for EPA, uses

Valicor oil extraction technology

In-Pond Algae

Tube Settler Effluent

Market s

Pric

e ($

/Mt)

$7m

Claire Curry, ABCL NEXT Biofuels Digest,San Francisco November 3, 2015

MARKET SIZE FOR ALGAE CHEMICALS, FEEDS, FUELS,

Everyone wants to get their hands on algae

We seem to have a few problems going from lab-scale to full-scale production

mixing rate

CO2 supplynutrient availability

temperature

contamination

pH

Some factors affecting algae growth in outdoor cultures

O2 accumulation

From Mario Tredici (ponds by Ami Ben Amotz)

CHALLENGE: ROTIFERS ( JUST ONE TYPE OF ALGAE GRAZER] Must manage ponds for algal species & culture stability

Botryococcus braunii

Global Warming not a new story: 25 years ago alredy making headlines

Positive Proof of Global WarmingPositive Proof of Global Warming

S. Slocombe, J. Benemann (eds.) and High Value Microalgal

Production for Biomass Products

2016CRC Press

Taylor and Francis Group US$ 129.95

Available at Amazon, etc.

MicroBio Engineering Inc., San Luis Obispo, California

Facilities Designs – Equipment – Wastewater Reclamation – Scientific Consulting – R&D – Life Cycle Assessments – Techno-Economic Analyses

Founded 2006, John Benemann (CEO) and Tryg Lundquist (CTO, Professor Cal Poly)

Thank You!!