Details

Title:

Evaluation of The Sustainability of Biohydrogen Production by Microalgae

Author(s):

Ferreira, A.F., Silva, C.

Document(s):

Abstract:

The search for sustainable production of energy from renewable sources is imperative due to the exhaustion of fossil fuels and risk of global warming. Biohydrogen is one of the promise future alternative energy resources. Aiming a future implementation of biohydrogen for use in road transportation, the scale­up is highly relevant to determine the potential of competitiveness of the biohydrogen fuel comparatively to conventional fossil fuels when used in specific road vehicle fleets. In this research the authors aim contributing and summarizing useful guidelines for pilot and industrial biohydrogen plants, opening the possibility for considering this fuel in future demonstration projects. Laboratory scale data is used to study energy and CO2 improvements for pilot and industrial scale plants sustainability. Microalgae biomass with 17­30% sugar content is used as feedstock. Other feedstocks were also considered, such as potato peels and sugarcane, with 15% and 50% DW sugar content respectively. The integrated process regarding the culture of microalgae biomass and the valorization of the whole biomass, by the supercritical extraction of the oil and high value pigments, and biohydrogen production by dark fermentation, will be taken into account for energy and emission evaluation and life cycle co­product credits.

Keywords:

biofuel, CO₂ emission, energy balance, microalgae, alternative fuel vehicle, utility scale

Topic:

Biomass Policies, Markets and Sustainability

Subtopic:

Sustainability assessment and criteria

Event:

21st European Biomass Conference and Exhibition

Session:

5EO.1.5

Pages:

1835 - 1841

ISBN:

978-88-89407-53-0

Paper DOI:

10.5071/21stEUBCE2013-5EO.1.5

Price:

FREE