The scientists from 11 UK academic institutions have been picked to take part in the Algae Biofuels Challenge, an £8 million fund to develop a commercial market for algae biofuels first launched in October 2008 by the Carbon Trust, the Government agency set up to develop low carbon technologies for the UK.
The 11 institutions will screen thousands of strains of algae to find the right ones that can produce large quantities of carbon neutral fuels. Additional research will develop methods for enabling large-scale production in algae ponds.
“Dream team” of 70 algae scientists
“Applying principles this country has developed from its proud agricultural heritage and leading bioscience expertise we will be developing a truly sustainable biofuel that could provide up to 80 per cent carbon savings compared to diesel savings in car and jet fuel. With a market value of over £15 billion the potential rewards are high.”
The move highlights the urgency for the UK to develop carbon neutral fuels if it is to meet its target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.
Transport accounts for one-quarter of the UK’s carbon emissions and is growing at a faster rate than any other sector.
“Global race” to commercialise the use of algae biofuel
Globally, initial forecasts suggest that algae-based biofuels could replace over 70 billion litres of fossil-derived fuels used annually in road transport and aviation by 2030 – equivalent to 12 per cent of annual global jet fuel consumption or six per cent of road transport diesel. This would equate to an annual carbon saving of over 160 million tonnes of CO2 globally.
Algae can be grown on non-arable land using seawater or wastewater. This is considered to be environmentally, ecologically and socially more desirable than biofuels made from food crops, which have been blamed for rising food prices.
Moreover, if successful, the Carbon Trust says algae could deliver six to 10 times more energy per hectare than conventional cropland biofuels.
But with costs of algae biodiesel currently estimated to be approximately $5-$10 a litre, the focus is now is on finding more cost-effective production methods to ultimately bring the cost down to less than $1 a litre.
Algae ‘ponds’ larger than Wales
The Carbon Trust says production of 70 billion litres of biofuel will require man-made algae ponds equivalent to a landmass larger than Wales to be built in optimum locations across the world. Next year, the Carbon Trust plans to start construction of a pilot demonstration plant in an equatorial region where algae are most productive, and is also looking to investigate possible locations for large-scale plants, which could be, for example, next to industrial facilities located near the sea.
The eleven institutions that will lead the algae biofuel research are the University of Coventry; London Queen Mary; University of Manchester; University of Newcastle; Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML); Scottish Association for Marine Science; University of Sheffield; University of Southampton; University of Swansea (Supported by Bangor University and PML).
They will research five key areas:
• Isolation and screening of algae strains suitable for open pond mass culture
• Maximising solar conversion efficiency in mass culture
• Achieving both high oil content and high productivity in mass culture
• Sustained algae cultivation in open ponds (resistance to competing organisms, predators and diseases)
• Design and engineering of cost effective mass culture systems
Commenting on the project, Transport Minister, Sadiq Khan, said: “This project demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that second generation biofuels are truly sustainable – and to show the potential from microalgae to be refined for use in renewable transport fuel development, to help reduce carbon dioxide emissions.”
