African algae-to-ethanol developer says pilot tests show sharply higher yields for ethanol from algae

In “Algae to Ethanol”, Rex Zietsman of Process Projects offered a detailed overview of algae-to-ethanol production via fermentation. Unlike the Solazyme process which grows algae in the dark, using sugar as a concentrated energy substitute for sunlight, the Process approach uses traditional methods to cultivate algae, then proceeds to concentrate the algae biomass, applies an acid hydrolysis, ferments the resulting sugars, then distills using a traditional ethanol process step.

A 20 square-meter pilot plant with a 0.55 KW paddle drive was presented; the plant also includes solar panels, a DAF container for white water, a pressure cooker and a fermenter and batch still. The team reports concentrations of 4 grams per liter and 140 grams per square meter per day and 50-70 ml of ethanol per square meter per day.

The pilot results compare to production rate of 19,915 gallons per acre per year, which is substantially above results realized in other algae bench and pilot tests, and have not been independently confirmed. They are quite close to the theoretical efficiency limits of photosynthesis, but in this case the target fuel is ethanol, rather than capturing lipids for biodiesel that are 20-45 percent of overall biomass.

Zietsman’s presentation can be downloaded here.

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