US Bioenergy Technologies Office  and Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management award $20.2M to advance algae

(City, State)

In partnership with HydroGeologic, Inc. Algae Research Supply, LLC and Environmental Mapping Consultants of Puerto Rico, Kona Carbon will develop a modular hydrothermal carbonization system capable of converting sargassum and other wet wastes into hydrochar, activated carbon and liquid fertilizer. The system will be developed to operate self-sufficiently to further improve energy use to meet the objective of the funding opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by greater than 50%. The project will develop a modular system to be deployed in Puerto Rico near local sources of nuisance sargassum creating sustainable products, economic stimulus and job opportunities for local communities

Macro Oceans, in partnership with National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), will develop a kelp-waste-to-ethanol process for further upgrading to SAF. Macro Oceans currently produces a high-value bioactive compound from seaweed, in this project the kelp waste will be diverted from landfill to use in a novel, high-yielding, bioconversion process that can meet the objective of the funding opportunity to achieve greater than 50% GHG reductions compared to corn-based ethanol.

In partnership with Idaho National Laboratory, Cold Current Kelp, LLC, GE Vernova and Rutgers University, the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology project team will develop a continuous catalytic hydrothermal liquefaction (CHTL) process to convert seaweed into a high energy density biocrude suitable for upgrading to Sustainable Aviation Fuel that meets a greater than 60% reduction in GHG emissions compared to fossil derived jet fuel. The project will address current knowledge gaps in hydrothermal conversion of seaweeds by developing storage and pretreatment methods that reduce ash and salt content, incorporating a low-cost coating to address corrosion issues in the CHTL reactor and developing a novel core-shell zeolite catalyst that maximizes yield to biocrude in the continuous CHTL system.

Umaro Foods, in collaboration with Sway Innovation Co., will enhance the performance, production cost and sustainability of bioplastics by incorporating waste alginate from Umaro’s protein production process into Sway’s portfolio of compostable bioplastic products and exceed the funding opportunity objective of 50% GHG reduction as compared to fossil derived plastics.

University of California, San Diego, in partnership with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and BASF Corporation will develop a salt tolerant microbial process that produces functional sugars as intermediates to chemicals, to be further modified and tested in surfactant formulations that can meet the funding opportunity objectives of reducing GHG emissions greater than 50% compared to petrochemical equivalents.

The University of Connecticut, in partnership with Idaho National Laboratory, will develop Arrested Anaerobic Digestion (AAD) of locally farmed seaweeds for on-site SAF production to meet the funding opportunity objective to reduce GHG emissions by greater than 50%. Using two species of near-shore farmed seaweeds, preservation approaches will be explored for year-round operation to be used in a controlled AAD system that generates volatile fatty acid intermediates that will be separated using a novel in-situ membrane approach that will improve selectivity and energy use compared to food waste AD systems.

Arizona State University, in partnership with Colorado State University, Kansas State University, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), will use carbon dioxide (CO₂) from natural gas combustion and fermentation to cultivate algae to generate an animal feed additive that has a beneficial omega-3 fatty acid profile targeted at improving animal health and reducing enteric CH₄ emissions. The project will evaluate the inclusion rates of algae needed to target a net GHG emissions reduction of 15%.

In collaboration with Tuskegee University, NREL, DVO Inc., and Packaging Corporation of America, Auburn University will develop an intensified “dry” biofilm-based microalgae cultivation technology to convert pulp and paper flue gas that has approximately 20% concentration of carbon dioxide and aquaculture wastewater into single cell protein based aquafeed.

Gingko Bioworks, in partnership with Los Alamos National Laboratory and New Mexico State University, will develop a live microalgal bioproduct using biofertilizer strains with high carbon utilization to deliver a low carbon intensity product that can improve agricultural efficiency. In addition to demonstrating agricultural benefits across soil and crop types, the project aims to reduce overall GHG intensity by at least 20% in addition to increasing corn biomass by 5%.

In collaboration with PNNL and Integrated Lipid Biofuels, LLC, Washington State University will capture CO₂ from flue gas and convert it into algal biomass which will then be used to produce cattle feed and bio-degradable mulch. A sequential hydrothermal liquefaction (SEQHTL) process will be used to extract other valuable components including bio-oil from algae biomass. The process will aim to reduce life-cycle emission (GHG footprint) by greater than 25%.