This is a theme that would have occured to most of us - why not grow algae under artificial lighting?
Well, this might not make things any simpler, or less costly...
Here's an interesting reply from a member (Donald H Locker) at the popular oil_from_algae yahoogroup:
"
More significant, I think, is the fact that the use of artificial light
will require more (much more) CO2 production than is removed by the
algae. No way to avoid it.
The energy to produce electricity comes from burning the carbon to CO2.
Less electricity is produced than fuel combusted; only about 40% of
the fuel comes out as electricity. Less light is produced than
electricity consumed. I'm not sure of the exact numbers, but 20% (for
fluorescent lamps) is what sticks in my mind. And less of the light is
used by the algae to remove CO2 from the stack gases. I'm hearing 3% to
10%. So for each ton of carbon fuel burned, we get 0.4 carbon-ton
equivalent of electricity, 0.08 carbon-ton equivalent of light and
0.0024 to 0.008 carbon-ton equivalent of algae growth.
Meaning it takes 1.008 tons of carbon fuel to remove 0.008 carbon-tons
equivalent of CO2. Major losses here. Artificial lighting, if the
light comes from carbon-based fuels is a non-starter.
The ONLY use of artificial light might be to keep the algae culture
alive. And I don't think that is necessary for any of the species I
know of.
Donald."
Oilgae Academic Edition showcases case studies on algae research efforts in respective areas such as waste water treatment, CO2 sequestration and power plants.
Oilgae - Oil & Biodiesel from Algae
Oilgae Blog
algOS - Biodiesel from Algae Open Source
Oilgae - Oil & Biodiesel from Algae provides links, provides directory and web links resources for the algae-based biofuels & biodiesel. It is intended to be useful for research, information, inputs, news for buyers, sellers, manufacturers, traders, suppliers, producers, exporters and importers of algal oil and algal fuels. It will make an effort to provide info on biofuel feedstock, algal feedstocks, algae oil info and link, details on fuel from algae, bio-fuel, bio-diesel, bio-fuels, algal oils production and uses, and biofuels trade & market resources, data, statistics such as price, prices, demand-supply for buyer, seller, manufacturer, trader, supplier, exporter and producer
I have been using LEDs (470 nm wavelength) to try to grow algae in a bioreactor, no go. I am firmly convinced that the heterotrophic approach to growing algae is the answer. It can be done indoors and requires no light. We are experimenting with filters which will filter out the CO2 and allow only oxygen in as a needed gas for their production.
ReplyDeleteOur main concern here is to create energy independence, not CO2 sequestration.
I grow algae for a living in the Pacific Northwest. We have to use artificial lighting and in fact promote growth with a 24 hour per day light dependent cycle. Thus we must disolve CO2 into the cultures semi-continuously as needed. Artificial light will never replace natural sunlight and the amount of energy spent on electricity for lighting versus compressed CO2 is tenfold.
ReplyDeletealgaequeen
Does anyone have comments on this as a source of lighting?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ledgrowlights.com
If you don't mind please email me some feedback at james.d.cann at gmail dot com
thanks
james
I am trying to grow algae at home and have had some success but feel I need more nutrients in the solution. Can anyone suggest a suitable low cost nutrient source that would not compromise the algae for human consumption. I have developed thin algae tank that sits in the window frame and is fed a regular flow of CO2 from my Rice Wine (sake) vat.
ReplyDelete