Algae are predicted to play an important role in tomorrow’s bioeconomy. The
technical goal of the project was to develop enhanced algal cultivation processes
utilising waste flows and to increase the overall material and energy efficiency of
algal processing for biodiesel and biogas production.
The project produced new knowledge on the boundary conditions for cost efficient
algal cultivation and productivity. The use of algae as a tertiary treatment of
municipal waste water, such as the utilisation of waste water flows from biowaste
handling, was assessed with positive results. Process concepts based both on
CO2 uptake and (waste) organic carbon were assessed. In a Nordic climate the
utilisation of spill heat is requisite and with restricted available daylight in the winter
time, an alga’s ability to shift from autotrophic to heterotrophic growth provides a
potential strategy for algal cultivation in Nordic circumstances.
The fractionation of algal residuals for biopolymers is a new research area with
potential long term impact in the bioeconomy sector.
Cost efficient Integrated production concepts still need to be developed, as
premises to successful business models.
It is apparent that an economically viable algae-to-biodiesel commercialization
will initially depend on government subsidies and the future price of oil, in addition
to optimized biomass yields. However, algae to biofuels is globally a topical sector
with a high interest from several stakeholders. The markets are likewise global.
From the biofuel point of view, air traffic is particularly interesting, as this sector
will probably need to rely on liquid fuel still during the next decade.