Algae Biofuels Group: algae to biogas

[Jacky Foo]

On Wed, Jul 16, 2008 at 8:47 PM, Peter Chabarek <frod...@gmail.com> wrote:
>We would like to build a community-centered energy production
>capacity using the vast potential of algae, ......
>..........
> Peter Chabarek
> Lane County Algae Biofuels Group
> Eugene, Oregon, USA

Can you tell us more about this community, size, source of algae
(grown or nature harvested), what type of bioenergy to be produced,
etc,

thanks

+++
Jacky E.L. Foo
Program Officer, www.globetree.org
Environment & Sustainable Development
++
Kenya: +254- 725 077 012

[Peter Chabarek]

Jacky,
Thanks for your inquiry.  We are still in the planning stages of this project.  The idea is to pursue two tracks:
1. researching, designing and documenting a pilot project utilizing municipal sewage as the growth medium for native grown algae, and harvesting them into an anaerobic digester to produce methane for electricity generation and possibly as a transport fuel for vehicles adapted to run on natural gas.  Also, the CO2 component of the biogas would be fed back into the algae ponds to boost growth.We are working on securing government grants and private investors for this project.
2.  Organizing neighborhood gardeners to do small algae ponds, feeding into a neighborhood-scale digester, with the same uses for the methane and CO2.

Thanks for adding me to the IOBB listserve.
I hope this information is helpful.

Best,
Peter Chabarek
Lane County Algae Biofuels Project
Eugene, Oregon USA

[Jacky Foo]

2008/7/20 Peter Chabarek <frod...@gmail.com>:
>.......We are still in the planning stages of this

> project. The idea is to pursue two tracks:
> 1. researching, designing and documenting a pilot project utilizing
> municipal sewage as the growth medium for native grown algae, and harvesting
> them into an anaerobic digester to produce methane for electricity
> generation and possibly as a transport fuel for vehicles adapted to run on
> natural gas. Also, the CO2 component of the biogas would be fed back into
> the algae ponds to boost growth.We are working on securing government grants
> and private investors for this project.

The Australians in Adelaide have done most of this (or similar to
this). I visited their site (lagoon system) in 2002 (?) with Paul
Harris and will check my travel disk if I have any of the pictures. I
am now in Kenya.

Your idea/proposal/project is still a very good one.

I dont know if there is justification for CO2 recycling into the ponds
due to energy costs ?
I have not worked out the economics of that and the output/gain for this action.

I have not gone into the phase of getting private investors into any
of my projects and would like to know what is it that would make
private investors see your project as a viable venture for economic
returns/profits.

> 2. Organizing neighborhood gardeners to do small algae ponds, feeding into
> a neighborhood-scale digester, with the same uses for the methane and CO2.

rather than spending time, effort and money on "neighbourhood
gardeners", I would go into commercial scale productive integrated
biosystems at your pilot project site (if space permits). I have no
idea of the climatic conditions at Eugene, Oregon and
agricultural/fisheries background it has.

The Australians sell tertiary treated wastewaters to wine growers and
to other crop growers.

In NZ (near Auckland) I think (assume, I could be wrong) that they are
coming up with some recreation water park where treated sewage will
also be discharged into. (Does sound strange but would be good if
someone from Auckland could confirm)

regards
jacky

[David Del Porto]

Peter:

 

We too are in a similar state but with a broad view to use barren lands for sewage-to-biofuels growth.  We are selecting the appropriate plant species (Macrophtyes in most cases), but a systems approach integrating algae and other higher-order plants into an eco-park.

--
David Del Porto
Ecological Engineering Group, Inc
www.ecological-engineering.com
Office Phone: 978 369 9440 ex 101
Office Direct Phone: 617 431 4341
Fax: 617 244 9001