Integrating Algae with Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage (ABECCS) Increases Sustainability

Beal, Colin M.; Archibald, Ian; Huntley, Mark E.; Greene, Charles H.; Johnson, Zackary I.

doi:10.1002/2017EF000704

Title: Integrating Algae with Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage (ABECCS) Increases Sustainability

Journal Article · Sat Mar 24 00:00:00 EDT 2018 · Earth's Future

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/2017EF000704· OSTI ID:1429519

^[1]; Archibald, Ian ^[2]; Huntley, Mark E. ^[3]; Greene, Charles H. ^[4]; Johnson, Zackary I. ^[5]

College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management University of Hawaii at Hilo Hilo HI USA, B&,D Engineering and Consulting LLC Lander WY USA
College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management University of Hawaii at Hilo Hilo HI USA, Cinglas Ltd Chester UK
College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management University of Hawaii at Hilo Hilo HI USA, Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering Cornell University Ithaca NY USA, Biology Department and Marine Laboratory Duke University Beaufort NC USA
College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management University of Hawaii at Hilo Hilo HI USA, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Cornell University Ithaca NY USA
Biology Department and Marine Laboratory Duke University Beaufort NC USA

Bioenergy carbon capture and storage (BECCS) has been proposed to reduce atmospheric CO₂ concentrations, but concerns remain about competition for arable land and freshwater. The synergistic integration of algae production, which does not require arable land or freshwater, with BECCS (called “ABECCS”) can reduce CO₂ emissions without competing with agriculture. This study presents a technoeconomic and life-cycle assessment for colocating a 121-ha algae facility with a 2,680-ha eucalyptus forest for BECCS. The eucalyptus biomass fuels combined heat and power (CHP) generation with subsequent amine-based carbon capture and storage (CCS). A portion of the captured CO₂ is used for growing algae and the remainder is sequestered. Biomass combustion supplies CO₂, heat, and electricity, thus increasing the range of sites suitable for algae cultivation. Economic, energetic, and environmental impacts are considered. The system yields as much protein as soybeans while generating 61.5 TJ of electricity and sequestering 29,600 t of CO₂ per year. More energy is generated than consumed and the freshwater footprint is roughly equal to that for soybeans. Financial break-even is achieved for product value combinations that include 1) algal biomass sold for $$\$$1,400$/t (fishmeal replacement) with a $$\$$68$/t carbon credit and 2) algal biomass sold for $$\$$600$/t (soymeal replacement) with a $$\$$278$/t carbon credit. Sensitivity analysis shows significant reductions to the cost of carbon sequestration are possible. The ABECCS system represents a unique technology for negative emissions without reducing protein production or increasing water demand, and should therefore be included in the suite of technologies being considered to address global sustainability.

View Journal Article

Cite

Export

Save

Research Organization:: Duke Univ., Durham, NC (United States); B&D Engineering and Consulting LLC, Lander, WY (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: DE‐EE0007091; EE0007091

OSTI ID:: 1429519

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1429522; OSTI ID: 1508369; OSTI ID: 1897645

Journal Information:: Earth's Future, Journal Name: Earth's Future Vol. 6 Journal Issue: 3; ISSN 2328-4277

Publisher:: American Geophysical Union (AGU)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Citation Metrics:

Cited by: 46 works

Citation information provided by
Web of Science

References (52)

Warming caused by cumulative carbon emissions towards the trillionth tonne Allen, Myles R.; Frame, David J.; Huntingford, Chris Nature, Vol. 458, Issue 7242 https://doi.org/10.1038/nature08019	journal	April 2009
Target Cultivation and Financing Parameters for Sustainable Production of Fuel and Feed from Microalgae Gerber, Léda N.; Tester, Jefferson W.; Beal, Colin M. Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 50, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5b05381	journal	March 2016
Process Design and Economics for the Production of Algal Biomass: Algal Biomass Production in Open Pond Systems and Processing Through Dewatering for Downstream Conversion Davis, Ryan; Markham, Jennifer; Kinchin, Christopher https://doi.org/10.2172/1239893 NREL/TP--5100-64772	report	February 2016
Techno-economic study of CO2 capture from an existing coal-fired power plant: MEA scrubbing vs. O2/CO2 recycle combustion Singh, D.; Croiset, E.; Douglas, P. L. Energy Conversion and Management, Vol. 44, Issue 19 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0196-8904(03)00040-2	journal	November 2003
Demonstrated large-scale production of marine microalgae for fuels and feed Huntley, Mark E.; Johnson, Zackary I.; Brown, Susan L. Algal Research, Vol. 10 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2015.04.016	journal	July 2015
The ecoinvent database version 3 (part I): overview and methodology Wernet, Gregor; Bauer, Christian; Steubing, Bernhard The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, Vol. 21, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-016-1087-8	journal	April 2016
Algal biofuel production for fuels and feed in a 100-ha facility: A comprehensive techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment Beal, Colin M.; Gerber, Léda N.; Sills, Deborah L. Algal Research, Vol. 10 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2015.04.017	journal	July 2015
Correction and Update: The Economic Effects of Climate Change Tol, Richard S. J. Journal of Economic Perspectives, Vol. 28, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.28.2.221	journal	May 2014
Effect of fertilizer on wood properties of Eucalyptus globulus Raymond, C. A.; Muneri, A. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, Vol. 30, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1139/x99-186	journal	February 2000
Pathways for balancing CO2 emissions and sinks Walsh, Brian; Ciais, Philippe; Janssens, Ivan A. Nature Communications, Vol. 8, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms14856	journal	April 2017
Algal food and fuel coproduction can mitigate greenhouse gas emissions while improving land and water-use efficiency Walsh, Michael J.; Gerber Van Doren, Léda; Sills, Deborah L. Environmental Research Letters, Vol. 11, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/11/11/114006	journal	October 2016
Sustainable biochar to mitigate global climate change Woolf, Dominic; Amonette, James E.; Street-Perrott, F. Alayne Nature Communications, Vol. 1, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms1053	journal	August 2010
Nannochloropsis oceania-derived defatted meal as an alternative to fishmeal in Atlantic salmon feeds Sørensen, Mette; Gong, Yangyang; Bjarnason, Fridrik PLOS ONE, Vol. 12, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0179907	journal	July 2017
Carbon Dioxode Recovery: Large Scale Design Trends Mariz, C. L. Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology, Vol. 37, Issue 07 https://doi.org/10.2118/98-07-04	journal	July 1998
Eucalyptus production and the supply, use and efficiency of use of water, light and nitrogen across a geographic gradient in Brazil Stape, J. L.; Binkley, Dan; Ryan, Michael G. Forest Ecology and Management, Vol. 193, Issue 1-2 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2004.01.020	journal	May 2004
Flare gas recovery for algal protein production Beal, Colin M.; Davidson, F. Todd; Webber, Michael E. Algal Research, Vol. 20 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2016.09.022	journal	December 2016
Future protein supply Aiking, Harry Trends in Food Science & Technology, Vol. 22, Issue 2-3 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2010.04.005	journal	March 2011
Energy return on investment, peak oil, and the end of economic growth: EROI, peak oil, and the end of economic growth Murphy, David J.; Hall, Charles A. S. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Vol. 1219, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2010.05940.x	journal	February 2011
The Scientific Consensus on Climate Change Oreskes, Naomi Science, Vol. 306, Issue 5702 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1103618	journal	December 2004
Amine Scrubbing for CO2 Capture Rochelle, G. T. Science, Vol. 325, Issue 5948 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1176731	journal	September 2009
Feed intake, liveweight gain and carcass traits of lambs offered pelleted annual pasture hay supplemented with flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) flakes or algae (Schizochytrium sp.) Burnett, V. F.; Jacobs, J. L.; Norng, S. Animal Production Science, Vol. 57, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN15230	journal	January 2017
Exploring the potential of Eucalyptus for energy production in the Southern United States: Financial analysis of delivered biomass. Part I Gonzalez, R.; Treasure, T.; Wright, J. Biomass and Bioenergy, Vol. 35, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2010.10.011	journal	February 2011
Direct Capture of CO₂ from Ambient Air Sanz-Pérez, Eloy S.; Murdock, Christopher R.; Didas, Stephanie A. Chemical Reviews, Vol. 116, Issue 19, p. 11840-11876 https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemrev.6b00173	journal	August 2016
Post-extraction algal residue in beef steer finishing diets: I. Nutrient utilization and carcass characteristics Morrill, J. C.; Sawyer, J. E.; Smith, S. B. Algal Research, Vol. 25 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2017.05.026	journal	July 2017
Biomass combustion for power generation Vandenbroek, R. Biomass and Bioenergy, Vol. 11, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1016/0961-9534(96)00033-5	journal	January 1996
Biofuels from microalgae—A review of technologies for production, processing, and extractions of biofuels and co-products Brennan, Liam; Owende, Philip Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 14, Issue 2, p. 557-577 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2009.10.009	journal	February 2010
Geoengineering, marine microalgae, and climate stabilization in the 21st century Greene, Charles H.; Huntley, Mark E.; Archibald, Ian Earth's Future, Vol. 5, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1002/2016EF000486	journal	March 2017
Emissions reduction: Scrutinize CO2 removal methods Williamson, Phil Nature, Vol. 530, Issue 7589 https://doi.org/10.1038/530153a	journal	February 2016
Economics of biomass energy utilization in combustion and gasification plants: effects of logistic variables Caputo, Antonio C.; Palumbo, Mario; Pelagagge, Pacifico M. Biomass and Bioenergy, Vol. 28, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2004.04.009	journal	January 2005
Global food demand and the sustainable intensification of agriculture Tilman, D.; Balzer, C.; Hill, J. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 108, Issue 50 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1116437108	journal	November 2011
Reducing the Cost of Ca-Based Direct Air Capture of CO ₂ Zeman, Frank Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 48, Issue 19 https://doi.org/10.1021/es502887y	journal	September 2014
High-value products from microalgae—their development and commercialisation Borowitzka, Michael A. Journal of Applied Phycology, Vol. 25, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-013-9983-9	journal	January 2013
Modern Global Climate Change Karl, T. R. Science, Vol. 302, Issue 5651 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1090228	journal	December 2003
Life cycle assessment of eucalyptus short rotation coppices for bioenergy production in southern France Gabrielle, Benoît; Nguyen The, Nicolas; Maupu, Pauline GCB Bioenergy, Vol. 5, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.12008	journal	October 2012
Towards Quantification of the Water Footprint of Paper: A First Estimate of its Consumptive Component van Oel, P. R.; Hoekstra, A. Y. Water Resources Management, Vol. 26, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-011-9942-7	journal	November 2011
Energy Return on Investment: Toward a Consistent Framework Mulder, Kenneth; Hagens, Nathan John AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment, Vol. 37, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1579/0044-7447(2008)37[74:EROITA]2.0.CO;2	journal	March 2008
Economic analysis of a supercritical coal-fired CHP plant integrated with an absorption carbon capture installation Bartela, Łukasz; Skorek-Osikowska, Anna; Kotowicz, Janusz Energy, Vol. 64 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2013.11.048	journal	January 2014
Marine Microalgae: Climate, Energy, and Food Security from the Sea Greene, Charles; Huntley, Mark; Archibald, Ian Oceanography, Vol. 29, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2016.91	journal	December 2016
Commercial applications of microalgae Spolaore, Pauline; Joannis-Cassan, Claire; Duran, Elie Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Vol. 101, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1263/jbb.101.87	journal	February 2006
The feasibility of low CO2 concentration targets and the role of bio-energy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) Azar, Christian; Lindgren, Kristian; Obersteiner, Michael Climatic Change, Vol. 100, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-010-9832-7	journal	May 2010
Detailed process modeling of a wood gasification combined heat and power plant Francois, J.; Abdelouahed, L.; Mauviel, G. Biomass and Bioenergy, Vol. 51 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2013.01.004	journal	April 2013
Dual potential of microalgae as a sustainable biofuel feedstock and animal feed Lum, Krystal K.; Kim, Jonggun; Lei, Xin Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology, Vol. 4, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1186/2049-1891-4-53	journal	January 2013
Biophysical and economic limits to negative CO2 emissions Smith, Pete; Davis, Steven J.; Creutzig, Felix Nature Climate Change, Vol. 6, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2870	journal	December 2015
How a century of ammonia synthesis changed the world Erisman, Jan Willem; Sutton, Mark A.; Galloway, James Nature Geoscience, Vol. 1, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo325	journal	September 2008
Betting on negative emissions Fuss, Sabine; Canadell, Josep G.; Peters, Glen P. Nature Climate Change, Vol. 4, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2392	journal	September 2014
Estimating economic damage from climate change in the United States Hsiang, Solomon; Kopp, Robert; Jina, Amir Science, Vol. 356, Issue 6345 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aal4369	journal	June 2017
A techno-economic analysis of industrial production of marine microalgae as a source of EPA and DHA-rich raw material for aquafeed: Research challenges and possibilities Chauton, Matilde S.; Reitan, Kjell Inge; Norsker, Niels Henrik Aquaculture, Vol. 436 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2014.10.038	journal	January 2015
Greenhouse-gas emission targets for limiting global warming to 2 °C Meinshausen, Malte; Meinshausen, Nicolai; Hare, William Nature, Vol. 458, Issue 7242 https://doi.org/10.1038/nature08017	journal	April 2009
Integration of power plant and amine scrubbing to reduce CO2 capture costs Romeo, Luis M.; Bolea, Irene; Escosa, Jesús M. Applied Thermal Engineering, Vol. 28, Issue 8-9 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2007.06.036	journal	June 2008
Quantitative Uncertainty Analysis of Life Cycle Assessment for Algal Biofuel Production Sills, Deborah L.; Paramita, Vidia; Franke, Michael J. Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 47, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1021/es3029236	journal	December 2012
Energy Return on Investment for Algal Biofuel Production Coupled with Wastewater Treatment Beal, Colin M.; Stillwell, Ashlynn S.; King, Carey W. Water Environment Research, Vol. 84, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.2175/106143012X13378023685718	journal	September 2012
New feed sources key to ambitious climate targets Walsh, Brian J.; Rydzak, Felicjan; Palazzo, Amanda Carbon Balance and Management, Vol. 10, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13021-015-0040-7	journal	December 2015