May | June 2011

Feature title: Microalgae and cyanobacteria

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The International magazine for the aquaculture feed industry

 F: Microalgae F: Microalgae
Table 2: Cyanobacteria as a potential source of
fermentable carbohydrates
(Vargas et al. 1998, J. Phycol. 34, 812) required to achieve this
Carbohydrates ambitious goal, but also
Strain (% of dry the combination of this
weight) process with a realistic
Strategic and Business
Plan.
Anabaena sp. ATCC 33047 28.0 ± 2.0
Anabaena variabilis 22.3 ± 2.5
Figure 1: AlgaEnergy’s CO2BIOCAP
R&D and mobile laboratory
Anabaenopsis sp. 16.3 ± 1.5 a realistic
Nodularia sp. (Chucula) 16.9 ± 2.6 Business Plan
AlgaEnergy is developing a kind, which will incorporate four types of
Nostoc commune 37.6 ± 2.5
responsible scientific agenda photobioreactors (PBR): columns, tubular
Nostoc paludosum 26.6 ± 1.9
aimed at achieving the commer- reactors, semi-open and in a second stage,
Nostoc sp. (Albufera) 26.8 ± 4.0 cially viable production of biofuels raceways. The plant will be entirely auto-
Nostoc sp. (Caquena) 23.3 ± 1.7 derived from microalgae. The mated and controlled by specially designed
Nostoc sp. (Chile) 23.3 ± 2.0
R&D programmes provided for software, which manages all the cultivation
that purpose include the selection parameters. Its goal is to research and
Nostoc sp. (Chucula) 15.7 ± 1.8
and genetic engineering work on develop new PBR processes and technolo-
Nostoc sp. (Llaita) 20.2 ± 1.5 various types of microalgae, which gies in this field. For this reason, the plant

Microalgae and cyanobacteria

Nostoc sp. (Loa) 32.1 ± 1.2
and for transport), and the flue gases from
conventional energy generation facilities
We owe them our lives ... and they will change our way of life can therefore be used as a source of
CO2 for large-scale microalgae cultivation
installations.
by Juan Pablo Jiménez Martín, Agricultural Engineer, Sales Manager, AlgaEnergy SA, Spain The production of liquid biofuels for
vehicles (biodiesel and bioethanol), is a very
carry substantial quantities of lipids
or carbohydrates (some of which
are patented), the development of
new photobioreactors more efficient and
with lower costs, and the establishment of
a suitable and scalable production process.
At present, biofuels produced from
microalgae are not financially competitive
with the first-
will have the flexibility and capacity to grow
simultaneously different species of micro-
algae in different growing conditions, using
indoor and outdoor PBR. The cultivation
area will be initially of about 1,000 m2 and
the culture volume up to 72,000 l.
AlgaEnergy’s plant will be visited during
the 3rd Algae World Europe congress that

M
promising alternative generation bio-
icroalgae and cyanobac- their contribution to climate change is water and it does not compete with human A series of factors must be taken into fuels obtained
teria provide us a high also a reality that is endangering the future food because it does not require the use of account when selecting microalgae as a from conven-
percentage of the oxygen of the earth and mankind. Is sustainable agricultural land. source of biofuel precursors, such as: high tional agricultur-
we need to breathe.They development still possible in view of all this? Microalgae cultivation consumes harmful productivity, temperature tolerance, toler- al crops, and bio-
are also in the aquatic environment, CO2 gas as an essential nutrient (the main ance to pH, high performance in fermenta- mass production
being the first step in the food chain. Microalgae & biofuels agent of the anthropogenic GHGs that ble carbohydrates for ethanol production and processing
We therefore owe our lives to them Microalgae are microorganisms that result from burning the fossil fuels used or in fatty acids transformable to biodiesel, must therefore
... and they will change our way of life. contain chlorophyll and other pigments for energy production in various industries for example. be substantially
and are able to perform oxygenic We also need to establish the most improved so that
Indeed, in the near future, they are going photosynthesis, releasing oxygen Table 1: Comparison of some sources of biodiesel suitable type of cultivation system to be the price of the
to be able to generate clean energy and into the atmosphere through water (Chisti 2007; Biotechnol. Adv. 25, 294) used (open, closed or mixed), and the most product can be
second-generation biofuels, as well as other photolysis and synthesising organic favourable operating conditions (batch, reduced by an
Land Percent of
products of benefit to mankind. This will material from oxidised forms of semi-continuous, continuous, number of order of magni-
Oil yield area existing US
also contribute to a sustainable develop- the primordial bioelements such as Crop phases, etc.). tude at least.
(L/ha) needed cropping
ment and to improve the environment on carbon dioxide or CO2, all at the (Mha)a areaa Tables 2 and 3 below show some exam- AlgaEnergy
our planet. expense of an inexhaustible energy ples of cyanobacteria as potential sources is currently
Energy is an essential component of source: sunlight. Over 30,000 spe- of fermentable carbohydrates for ethanol engaged in the
Corn 172 1,540 846
economic and social development in our cies of microalgae exist on our production and the lipid content of some construction of
times, and economic activity would be planet, with a multitude of shapes, Soybean 446 594 326 microalgae for biodiesel production. its first plant, a
considerably limited without the thermal, sizes and colours. Together with the Canola 1,190 223 122 The expectations raised by microalgae Te c h n o l o g i c a l
mechanical and electrical energy generated higher plants, as we have mentioned, Jatropha 1,892 140 77 as a source of second-generation bio- Platform for
by burning fuel. they are the basic support of life fuels have led to the creation of a large Experimentation
Coconut 2,689 99 54
Studies conducted by the International on earth and oxygenation of the number of companies, some of which have with Microalgae
Energy Agency show that world evolution atmosphere. Oil Palm 5,950 45 24 made significant investment. Our company ( P T E M ) ,
of the demand for primary energy is set to The making of liquid biofuels for Microalgaeb 136,900 2 1.1 AlgaEnergy is convinced that in the near located at the
increase at a rate of 1.8 percent per year, vehicles (biodiesel and bioethanol), Microalgaec 58,700 4.5 2.5 future microalgae will be able to provide International
going from the 10,000Mtoe (million tonnes from certain microalgae and cyano- a For meeting 50% of all transport fuel needs in the us with these forms of clean energy so Airport of
of oil equivalent) produced in 2000 to the bacteria is a very promising alterna- United States. necessary for the sustainable economic Madrid-Barajas.
17,000Mtoe estimated for 2030. tive as the production represents b 70% oil (by wt) in biomass. development of our societies. Not only is This is intended
The significant increase in atmospheric a sustainable and scalable process, constant research and development the to be a model
c 30% oil (by wt) in biomass.
emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) and it uses sea water, brine or waste basis for a continuous innovation process platform of its

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 F: Microalgae F: Microalgae
programmes have enabled the company Table 4: Oil content of some microalgae
to begin working in the aquaculture and (Chisti, 2007; Biotechnol. Adv. 25,
cosmetics sectors. AlgaEnergy has paid 294)
special attention to the aquaculture sector,
and it now markets biomass from differ- Oil content
Strain (% of dry
ent microalgae with outstanding properties weight)
and performance, under its brand name

The research being conducted by Botryococcus braunii 25-75

Figure 2: Tubular photobioreactors at the Estación
Experimental “Las Palmerillas”, where AlgaEnergy is
currently producing its microalgae.
will take place in Madrid on May 16-17,
2011. The company is also corporate spon-
sor of such an important international
event it the algae field.
Products derived
from microalgae
Apart from biofuel production, these
photosynthetic microorganisms provide
a whole host of business opportunities
of high added value products related to
food for human consumption, animal feed,
pigments, dermocosmetics, nutraceuticals,
biomedicine and even wastewater treat-
ment. Considerable development of these
applications and their corresponding bioin-
dustries is to be expected until the produc-
tion of biofuels from microalgae is made
profitable. The chart below shows some of
the products derived from microalgae, their
AlgaEnergy is linked to major microalgae
Chlorella sp. 28-32
research centres at outstanding universi-
ties in this field – Seville, Almeria, and Crypthecodinium cohnii 20
Santiago de Compostela – and other Cylindrotheca sp. 16-37
organisations of international projection Dunaliella primolecta 23
and renown, including the Spanish National
Isochrysis sp. 25-33
Research Council (CSIC) and the Spanish
Monallanthus salina > 20
Institute of Oceanography (IEO). Figure 3: AlgaEnerg's CO2BIOCAP
At the moment, the production takes Nannochloris sp. 20-35 mobile laboratory
place at the Las Palmerillas Experimental Nannochloropsis sp. 31-68
Station, which is equipped with large-sized Neochloris oleoabundans 35-54
closed vertical and horizontal tubular and environment. If this is not done, this the world. AlgaEnergy therefore trust that
Nitzschia sp. 45-47
photobioreactors that work in continuous threefold crisis will worsen and give rise its findings, technologies and microalgae-
mode, enabling AlgaEnergy to ensure an Phaeodactylum tricornutum 20-30 to unpredictable consequences over time, derived products will contribute to this
excellent quality and hygienisation in the Schizochytrium sp. 50-77 therefore we therefore need to acquire a progress and to preserving the environ-
production process for its two key strains Tetraselmis suecica 15-23 more in-depth knowledge of microalgae ment and nature and life on our planet.
Nannochloropsis gaditana PREMIUM and today and give greater use to their Microalgae, these living beings, can be
Isochrysis galbana, which have demonstrated revolution, this time led by mankind, with enormous potential, as this is of huge paid a tribute in one phrase: “we owe
outstanding properties as food for rotifers the objective of remedying the triple significance and will bring sustainability them our lives... and they will change our
and for the green waters technique. crisis affecting humanity: food, energy and wellbeing to the different regions of way of life”.
Another market we expect to enter in
the near future is in the weaning and finish-
ing feed for aquaculture. We consider that
animal feed needs to be provided with extra
quality, and this can be achieved through the DP

for the totally natural products derived destination markets and their prices. use of microalgae. However, the current low
LS LS

M
4
LS

from them. Microalgae are therefore an price of fattening feed makes it difficult for
important and exclusive natural source of Microalgae in the microalgae to be incorporated to it.
aquaculture sector
LS

many compounds and essential products In any case, taking into account both the
for meeting the needs of numerous markets AlgaEnergy has identified the market price variations of vegetable proteins and the
LS

today. requirements and set up major R&D pro- quality that would be provided by the cells
Microalgae in fact have a huge bio- grammes with the corresponding budget. of these organisms, with their high omega-3
M M
6 6 6

L
LS

technological potential for the generation The results being obtained from these acid content, we believe that microalgae DP

MCC 2

could be included in microparticu- LS

L 10

MCC 1

Table 3: comercially produced microalgae: amounts, locations, applications and market value
late, weaning or finishing feed, as a
(2004) (Brennan and Owende 2010)
LS

partial substitute for the flour and

Microalga Annual Production Producer Country Application/Product Price fish oil used at present.

Human nutrition 36€/kg Conclusion

China, India,
Animal nutrition In the distant past, oxygenic
Arthrospira (Spirulina) 3000t d.w. U.S.A., Myanmar,
Cosmetics photosynthesis by cyanobacte-
Japan
Phycobiliproteins 11€/mg ria and microalgae created the
Human nutrition conditions that enabled a huge
Taiwan, Germany, 36€/kg
Chlorella 2000t d.w. Cosmetics energy revolution to occur in the
Japan 50€/L
Aquaculture
living world, allowing the devel-
Human nutrition opment of aerobic respiration
Australia, Israel, 215-2150€/
Dunaliella salina 1200t d.w. Cosmetics
U.S.A., Japan kg and the emergence of new forms
Beta carotene
of life based on it, which finally
Aphanizomenon flos-aque 500t d.w. U.S.A. Human nutrition
led to the appearance of human
U.S.A., India, Aquaculture 50€/L beings on our planet.
Haematococcus pluvialis 300t d.w.
Israel Astaxanthin 7150€/kg Cyanobacteria and micro-
Crypthecodinium cohnil 240t DHA oil U.S.A. DHA oil 43€/g algae may now be called upon
Shizochytrium 10t DHA oil U.S.A. DHA oil 43€/g to play a leading role in a new

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