ALGAE: SIMPLE ORGANISM; INNOVATIVE DESIGNS

1. ALGAE:SIMPLE ORGANISM; INNOVATIVE DESIGNS

2. INTRODUCTION • Ronald Orndorff • BA in History from here in 2004 • Back in NPRE for the fun of it! • Graduating in like a week. • I hope • Hoping to get a job in the nuclear field • Experience as Reactor Operator • MBA after? • Renewables? • Farm sheep in New Zealand • My advisor is right here

3. PURPOSE • Biofuel production already discussed • Arys’ presentation covered several topics • Utilization of wastewater • Utilization of carbon dioxide • Economic and environmental argument for algae • So what else is there to cover? • Innovations in farming! • Algae mines • Offshore development

4. Existing Algal Farm Schemes • Open Pond • Major obstacle – Hardiness of species • Closed Loop system • Ties to greenhouse gas emitters • This has benefits and consequences • Eats up CO2 at power plants • Other pollutants, limited in scope • Photobioreactors • Can be built nearly anywhere • Expensive option

5. ALGAE USE IN MINES • Land scarcity • Algae fussy • Other species invade • Coal mines often end up abandoned • Mix these concepts and get algae mines! Algae growth in runoff

6. INNOVATION – ALGAE MINES • Eliminates infrastructure cost • ~50% of cost for Open Pond Algae • Controls temperature • Caves/mines maintain stable temperature year-round • Evaporation control • No sun bearing down, reduces evaporation • Reduces needed water • Enhanced growth • Use of LED instead of sunlight • Only uses a few light frequencies at pulsed intervals • More efficient for photosynthesis

7. ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS – ALGAE MINES • Environmental Benefits • Isolates C.V., algae cannot escape • Other harmful species cannot reach C.V. • Algae can sequester metals from mines • Phytoremediation • Manganese removal study Abandoned Mine, Dunbar VA

8. DRAWBACKS – ALGAE MINES • Cost • LED lights are expensive • Electricity costs vs. free sunlight • Research Funding Limited • EPA • Low interest from venture capitalists • Seen as risky, untested

9. TAKEWAY POINTS – ALGAE MINES • Unorthodox • Growing plants in the dark is always fun • Green-friendly • “Recycles” unused mines • Limited • Only possible in areas with abandoned mines • Low Interest Currently • Little large-scale commercial appeal • Seen more as PR investiture

10. OFFSHORE ALGAL FARMS Offshore Wind/Algae Hybrid Farm Concept – Lolland, Denmark

11. OFFSHORE FARM STRUCTURE • Build shallow pools for algae offshore • Top of pool: Tempered UV-resistant glass • Bottom of pool: special membrane enclosure • Each pool tethered to wind turbine • Pantograph arm • Isolates pool motion from sea motion • Limits degrees of freedom • Prevents “excess agitation” of algae • Each pool = self-contained mini-ecosystem • Termed “Omega”

12. OFFSHORE TECH DEVELOPMENT • Tied to offshore wind turbine development • Wind turbines provide power • Power drives pumps • Pumps churn water • This promotes algal growth • Power lights LEDs • Remember how LEDs helped in the mine? • Bottom membrane new NASA material • forward-osmosis, desalinates incoming water • ensures nutrients reach algae • flushes excess fresh water back

13. OFFSHORE BENEFITS • Isolated ecosystem • Freshwater Algae can’t leave • Won’t survive in open saltwater • Other species can’t enter • Hostile species blocked by membrane • Effectively infinite “land” for use • Lots of coast and sea for use • Limited only by roughness of sea and accessibility

14. OFFSHORE FUEL CHOICE • Innovation centers on biofuel production • Hydrogen production making strides • 2008 DoE Report • 25% efficiency reported • Truncate Chlorophyll antennae • Block oxygen production through copper • Already tying algae farms to wind turbines... • Future of hydrogen production?

15. OFFSHORE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS • Chemical remediation • Water-based analogue to coal mine phytoremediation • Fertilizer runoff feed algae • Potential Dead Zone solution

16. OFFSHORE CHALLENGES • Weather • High sea states • Severe weather systems • Collection/Transport • Large swaths of algae may grow... • But how will the fuel be collected? • Regulation • Monitoring farms

17. TAKEAWAYS – OFFSHORE FARMS • Self-sufficient • Requires no external energy, water, or land • Green-Friendly • Eats up harmful nutrients (P, NH3, N) • Reduced risk of species-based invasions • Available • Most needed technology exists • Hydrogen collection still optimized • Meshing wind farm and algal farms piloted now

18. REFERENCES • http://www.rechargenews.com/business_area/innovation/article189992.ece (Offshore algae cultivation) • http://www.hydrogen.energy.gov/pdfs/progress08/ii_f_2_melis.pdf (DoE report on hydrogen production from algae) • http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/23/does-algae-plus-wind-power-equal-biofuel/ (Wind + Algae breakdown) • http://www.itrcweb.org/miningwaste-guidance/cs33b_tva_alabama.htm (TVA report on algae collecting Mn in abandoned coal mine) • http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/20/invasive-algae-leads-to-boom-bust-and-maybe-boom-again/ (Article detailing a problem with invasive algae • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytoremediation (Description of Phytoremediation with examples) • http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=underground-algae-growth-light-emitting-diodes (Detailed article on using algae in abandoned coal mines, the whys and hows)

19. QUESTIONS?