Microalgae Production from Power Plant Flue Gas: Environmental Implications on a Life Cycle Basis

Technical Report · Fri Jun 22 04:00:00 EDT 2001

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/783405· OSTI ID:783405

Kadam, K L

Power-plant flue gas can serve as a source of CO{sub 2} for microalgae cultivation, and the algae can be cofired with coal. This life cycle assessment (LCA) compared the environmental impacts of electricity production via coal firing versus coal/algae cofiring. The LCA results demonstrated lower net values for the algae cofiring scenario for the following using the direct injection process (in which the flue gas is directly transported to the algae ponds): SOx, NOx, particulates, carbon dioxide, methane, and fossil energy consumption. Carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons emissions were statistically unchanged. Lower values for the algae cofiring scenario, when compared to the burning scenario, were observed for greenhouse potential and air acidification potential. However, impact assessment for depletion of natural resources and eutrophication potential showed much higher values. This LCA gives us an overall picture of impacts across different environmental boundaries, and hence, can help in the decision-making process for implementation of the algae scenario.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy (US)
• DOE Contract Number: AC36-99GO10337
• OSTI ID: 783405
• Report Number(s): NREL/TP-510-29417
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON MONOXIDE
COCOMBUSTION
COFIRING
DECISION MAKING
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FLUE GAS
LIFE CYCLE
LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT
MICROALGAE
POWER GENERATION
POWER PLANTS
PRODUCTION