Cellulosic Ethanol Sugar Diverted to Algae Biodiesel Production
Note: See the precursor to this post, BREAKING NEWS: First Cars Run on Algae Biodiesel; Breakthrough Production Possible.
Today I had a few minutes to speak with Harrison Dillon, President and CTO of Solazyme. But with all the publicity around the film Fields of Fuel (see earlier post), I didn’t have much of a chance to get into a detailed discussion. When I approached him, Harrison was surrounded by a group intent on elucidating the not-so-subtle points of using biodiesel (such as, does it require conversion to run in a diesel engine?).
In our brief conversation I was able to learn that Solazyme is going to combine cellulosic ethanol and algae biodiesel production technology, which they think provides a more positive energy balance than either one alone (Harrison said that algae are 1000 times more efficient when fed sugar vs. grown by sunlight). Solazyme will be buying sugar, including cellulosically-derived sugar produced by cellulosic ethanol companies, to feed to their algae. They’re basically short-circuiting the cellulosic ethanol process and diverting the sugar to what they say is a more efficient process: growing micro-algae.
- » See also: Scientists Researching How Plants Can Make Petroleum
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I asked why they thought the energy balance of using that sugar for algae production vs. fermenting it into ethanol was more favorable. This doesn’t seem like the whole story, but Harrison said harvesting materials for cellulosic ethanol production requires diesel machinery, and using biodiesel in this equipment helps decrease the energy and carbon balance of the whole process. By producing biodiesel from the algae and then sending this biodiesel back to the cellulosic ethanol producers, they can close part of the loop and improve the whole process.
Hmmmm…
I intend on trying to get more details out of Solazyme, but in the mean time I’d be interested to hear your thoughts…
More posts on this topic:
Chevron Backs Solazyme’s Algae Biodiesel Production Process (+Video)
BREAKING NEWS: First Cars Run on Algae Biodiesel; Breakthrough Production Possible
The Latest on Cellulosic Ethanol:
GM Announces Biofuel Partnership: Cheap, Green Ethanol?
[...] is a form of oil — which naturally separates from water. Ethanol has to be distilled. This explains some pros and cons. Producing oil from algae has a nice ring to it. But check out his story on a [...]
[...] posts on this topic: Chevron Backs Solazyme’s Algae Biodiesel Production Process (+Video) Cellulosic Ethanol Sugar Diverted to Algae Biodiesel Production Comment on this post Tags: algaculture, algae, biodiesel, biofuel, cars, diesel, energy, fuel, [...]
Good work Clayton. Hope you and your readers can check out my site sometime mate.
-Bob
Sounds very interesting to me. the challange will be when the rubber hits the road!
Don’t look for scientific answers here, This is a political decision. To meet the requirements of ‘advanced bio-fuel’ under the RFS, these fuels must show a 50% increase in net energy balance (energy consumed vs energy produced) on a field to wheel basis. Many cellulosic processes are not making this ratio in facility production alone. By producing bio-diesel that goes back to field production they can presumably meet this standard. This could be done by running equipment on ethanol, but bio-diesel is an easier transition. You will probably see this most with thermal and enzymatic processes. Thermal/microbial processes seem to have them beat.
As the owner of a 2008 GMC duramax diesel , I can tell you I bit the biodiesel thing a little too early.
Also, the problem is not the seals. GM has been using VITON on most of its vehicles for years now instead of rubber which degrades with ethanol and biodiesel.
The problem with Biodiesel right now is (GM is only allowing B5(5% bio) the carbon coating gets scrubbed off and will clog your lines and filters faster than you can say it.Also the EPA eggheads along with Greenpeace and Sierra club made them put a Diesel particulate filter on the trucks to burn off the soot of the old no longer used diesel(now you have USLD) which uses diesel fuel to burn it(2200 degrees)losing MPG’s in the process and with Bio diesel it would still sense that it needs to burn off soot even though there is none just based on the amount used maybe even more , wasting even more fuel.
Bottom line this is supposed to get simpler not more complex.
Biodiesel will need a national standard plus quite a few additives to make sure the flow rate is the same.
Then the environmentals will worry about the Nox produced because right now Co and Co2 is very little.
The production of bio without using so much water is the way to go …JMHO