Food, fuel, and feed production with microalgae

Conference · Thu Dec 30 23:00:00 EST 1993

OSTI ID:140249

Benemann, J R; Weissman, J C ^[1]

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1. Sea-Ag, Inc., Vero Beach, FL (United States)

Large-scale (>10 hectares) microalgae cultures are being used in several countries around the world for the production of human food supplements and specialty animal (mainly aquaculture) feeds. Microalgae cultures are also extensively used in wastewater treatment and being produced on a small scale for soil inoculants and diagnostic reagents. In addition, microalgae cultures are being investigated for their potential in fuel production and CO{sub 2} utilization, as a method for greenhouse gas mitigation. A pilot plant effort in New Mexico, under a US Department of Energy/National Renewable Energy Lab. subcontract, demonstrated the feasibility of cultivating a number of algal species in large outdoor ponds on brackish waters. Building on this experience, SeaAg, Inc. has developed a process for the mass culture of microalgae as a source of bivalve feeds. In this process, algae (diatoms) are cultured in large open ponds on seawater, and then fed to clams and oysters, which filter and convert the algal cells into high value protein. The SeaAg process is another application of a technology which promises to eventually result in large-scale commercial production of microalgae for a variety of useful products and processes.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)
• OSTI ID: 140249
• Report Number(s): NREL/CP--200-5768-Vol.2; CONF-9308106--Vol.2; ON: DE94000435
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
ANIMAL FEEDS
AQUACULTURE
BIOMASS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CLAMS
DIATOMS
FOOD
FUELS
GREENHOUSE GASES
OYSTERS
PRODUCTION
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RENEWABLE RESOURCES
SEAWATER
UNICELLULAR ALGAE
US DOE
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTE WATER