R&D Update: High-efficiency Microalgae and Scale-up of Algal Biorefinery The cultivation of microalgae offers a cost-effective way of producing biofuels all year round with minimal use of land. This land can be non-arable land as long as it has access to a source of water (e.g. seawater). Yields are approx. 10 times higher than palm oil. These are important prerequisites for large-scale commercial production of biofuels.
We collect algae from marine and freshwater environments, culture and characterise them by microscopy, DNA extraction/sequencing and metabolite analysis (including lipid accumulation profiles). The most promising algae are then used in an adaptive evolution (mutagenesis/selection) experiment to select for algae with fast growth and high lipid accumulation properties. We then use bioprocess engineering in our split system pilot plant for algae cultivation and maximum lipid accumulation.
Our development of new improved microalgae strains aims to maximise cost-returns for an algal biorefinery. The main products are (1) biodiesel, (2) protein-rich aquaculture feed and (3) Omega-3 fatty acids. We have collected data from our 4000-L pilot plant for 2 years that uses the contamination-free split system bioreactor-open pond technology.
We are currently constructing several 100,000-L algae biorefinery demonstration plants at different locations in Queensland. The aim is to reduce construction and production costs as well as energy input to an absolute minimum to allow commercial production. Once optimised, each of these modules can be used for scale-up by using hundreds or thousands of modules as required by the demand and growth conditions in local communities.
