MICROALGAE AS ENERGY SOURCE FOR STREET LIGHTING

1. Group name : Ultra Energy • Authors: • Ong Wee Chiek • Wang Chee Yew • Lee Chean Yong • Liang Yin Fei MICROALGAE AS ENERGY SOURCE FOR STREET LIGHTING

2. Introduction In this new era, the rapid development of science and technology brings considerable benefits to human being. However, it also brings us environmental pollution and causes energy shortage. With advances in technology, we are able to use the modern technology to exploit more energy to meet the demand for the growing population. Finally it results in a vicious circle with the energy consumption and the population growth. Furthermore, with the expansion of industrialization, requirement for energy worldwide has an upward trend. We have a great need for energy because of the rapid growth of our economy. Thus, we are coming up with idea of using plant, or more specifically is microalgae to carry out photosynthesis. Then, we are going to use it to generate electricity to provide power supply to street lighting system. When the planted microalgae is mature, they will be harvested and fermented to produce biomass. Dry biomass will be used again in bioreactor façade to generate energy. The plants will consume up carbon dioxide gases emitted by biomass hence it is environmental friendly and sustainable. This method will be a clean, efficient energy solution that promote sustainability and deliver cost savings for a development consisting of residential, commercial and industrial areas.

3. ENERGY GENERATION PROCESS Microalgae continuously supplied with liquid nutrients and carbon dioxide via a separate water circuit running through the bioreactor facade. They undergo photosynthesise and grow continuously. They convert solar energy into thermal energy, biomass and heat through photosynthesis and solar thermal energy. They flourish and multiply in a regular cycle until they can be harvested Separated from the rest of the algae and transferred as a thick pulp to the technical room. The little plants are then fermented in an external biogas plant, so that they can be used again to generate biogas.

4. The biomass resulting from the growth of the microalgae is automatically harvested through an algae separator and collected in a temperature-controlled container. Removal to a biogas plant and conversion of biomass to methane occurs about once a week. The facade is expected to create 15g of biomass per square metre of glazing, which doesn’t sound a lot. But given that as a unicellular organism microalgae is 30-50% efficient at converting the sun’s energy into usable energy. The energy produced, in the form of methane, could be used to run a combined heat and power plant to generate electricity.

5. Microalgae are much more efficient in the conversion of light energy into biomass than multicellular plants, because they are single-celled and each individual cell performs photosynthesis. Microalgae can divide up to once a day, doubling their biomass, which is an energy carrier. Microalgae produce up to five times as much biomass per hectare as terrestrial plants and contain many oils that can be used for energy 1 gram of dry biomass from microalgae contains about 23 kJ of energy.

6. One square metre main microalgae façade comes with a net annual energy yield of about 90 kilowatt-hours of electricity. This is sufficient for a normal streetlight consumes in a year (50 kilowatt-hours per year). Annual usage for a streetlight(20W): = 87.66kWh

7. Clean and Sustainable • Able to generate energy using the photosynthesis and microalgae biomass harvested from its own façade. • The façade collects solar energy by absorbing the light that is not used by the microalgae to supply electricity for the streetlight. • This microalgae can then be harvested via the bioreactor. Microalgae growing in the glass louvers provide a clean source ofrenewable energy.

8. COMPARISON BETWEEN MICROALGAE GENERATION AND WATER GENERATION

9. INTEGRATION WITH GE’s PRODUCT • Microalgae can be used to generate electricity to light up the streetlight. • It would take millions, probably billions, of electrified algae to power a commercial device. However, microalgae are tiny, cheap and plentiful. • This is suitable for local roadway due to algae’s need for sunlight. Evolve™ LED Streetlight

10. Conclusion Today, pollution is occurring on a vast and unprecedented scale around the globes integrally related to economic production, modern technology, life-styles, the sizes of human and animal populations, and a host of other factors. These transitions include shifting away from fossil fuels and waste-intensive technologies, bringing our most sophisticated science to bear, altering prices and other economic incentives, perceiving pollution as transboundary and global, and progressing to a stable world population. In conclusion, harvesting electricity from plants (Plant-Based Energy Generation) to provide power supply for street lighting system is an effective way in reducing effect of global warming. It is sustainable, energy saving and environmental-friendly. A unicellular organism microalgae is 30-50% efficient at converting the sun’s energy into usable energy as compared tomost of the solar cells of today that operate at about 12-17% efficient. That’s a huge difference, and potentially a huge improvement in efficiency for solar energy generation. Though, of course, that’s only if the technology and economics can be worked out.

11. References: • http://www.gelightingsolutions.com/Roadway/id-ERX1/Evolve%E2%84%A2_LED_Streetlight • http://www.archello.com/en/project/biq-house • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dam • http://www.iba-hamburg.de/fileadmin/Mediathek/Whitepaper/130716_White_Paper_BIQ_en.pdf • http://www.iba-hamburg.de/en/themes-projects/the-building-exhibition-within-the-building-exhibition/smart-material-houses/biq/projekt/biq.html