|  | | Algae project gets 150K boost
1/15/2008 1:35 PMXcel Energy has given a $150,000 gift to the University of Minnesota
that builds on both organizations' commitment to renewable energy in
Minnesota. Of particular interest is a groundbreaking algae-to-biofuels
project led by the University of Minnesota and the Metropolitan Council.
Researchers
at the Metropolitan Council and the University of Minnesota’s
Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment (IREE) have teamed
up to investigate the potential for algae-to-fuel technology. Since
2006, the Council and IREE have provided funding to research and
implement this emerging technology.
The $150,000 gift, issued
from the Xcel Energy Chairman’s Fund, comes on the heels of a recent
announcement that five University of Minnesota research projects have
been recommended to receive more than $4.5 million from the Xcel Energy
Renewable Development Fund.
“Environmental stewardship is a top
priority for us,” said Dick Kelly, Xcel Energy chairman, president and
CEO. “The innovative and new renewable technologies under development
by researchers at the university will help us use the earth’s resources
wisely, reduce our impact on the environment and deploy cleaner energy
technologies for tomorrow.”
The algae-to-biofuels research team
is studying specific types of algae consisting of up to 40 percent oil.
The oils extracted from the algae can be used to produce biodiesel,
while the remaining wet biomass can be processed to produce bio-oils
and other bio-based products.
The researchers are exploring an
integrated approach for the efficient treatment and utilization of
wastewater-stream based biomass, which would replace the current
energy-intensive, drying-and-combustion treatment. Each day, the
Metropolitan Council turns more than 250 million gallons of wastewater
into clean water that is discharged into area rivers. The project team
sees potential for cultivating vast amounts of energy-producing algae
via the wastewater.
The Xcel funding will support a pilot system
to produce algae for the development and improvement of harvest,
extraction and conversion processes, as well as the collection of data
necessary for further research and development.
“The
traditional process of growing algae using large, open ponds works in
warmer climates, but isn’t well-suited to colder locations like
Minnesota,” explained Dick Hemmingsen, director of IREE. “A closed-loop
system utilizing wastewater and the heat produced by treatment plants
to grow algae for fuels production is of particular interest for
northern regions of the country.”
Another potential benefit of
the algae research is reducing greenhouse gas emissions. At present,
the wastewater solids incinerators at two of the Council’s treatment
plants release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Along with nitrogen
and phosphorous, the carbon dioxide could be captured and used to
supplement the growth of algae at both facilities.
“In both
our transit and wastewater treatment systems, the Met Council is
strongly committed to protecting the environment and reducing our
dependence on fossil fuels,” said Peter Bell, council chair. “Through
our partnership with the university, we hope to develop new, homegrown
sources of clean, renewable energy.”
The Xcel funding will also
help the team leverage further investment in the commercialization of
algae energy crop technologies. The partnership is seeking additional
funding for a bench-scale study and a subsequent pilot-scale process
demonstration over the next two years. During the study, Metropolitan
Council Environmental Services plans to grow and harvest algae in a
wastewater effluent flow of one-half liter per minute (about 180
gallons per day).
“The success of this technology is extremely
significant since algae could completely replace our petroleum fuel use
and improve our environment simultaneously,” said Roger Ruan, a
University of Minnesota professor in the College of Food, Agricultural
and Natural Resource Sciences and a lead project investigator.
Building
on a growing expertise in the field, the researchers will determine
what kind of algae grows best in the effluent, measure its oil content
and assess the potential for producing algae-based biofuels.
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