CO2 MITIGATION,FUELS AND FOODS FROM MARINEPHOTOSYNTHETIC MICROBES

Why Do We Want (Need!) To Do This?

• Ecological Necessity

• Economic Necessity

• Intellectual Challenge

Why Do We Want (Need!) To Do This?

• Ecological Necessity

• Economic Necessity

• Intellectual Challenge

• Benefits to Hawaii

Why Do We Want (Need!) To Do This?

• Ecological Necessity

– Atmospheric Effects of Increasing CO2 Concentrations

Atmospheric CO2 concentrations since the year 1000 AD estimated from

ice core data and monitoring of CO2 at Mauna Loa.

Increasing CO2

Increasing CO2

Atmospheric CO2 isnow 370 ppm -

a value not exceededin the past 20 million years

Source: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2001

Why Do We Want (Need!) To Do This?

• Ecological Necessity

– Oceanic Effects of Increasing CO2 Concentrations

Ocean Acidification

ΔpH

Coral reefs, molluscs, and other marine life formsare threatened

Caldeira & Wickett (2003)“Anthropogenic carbon and ocean pH”Nature 425 (6956): 365

As pH decreasescalcification diminishes

The marine food web will change – for at least 1,000 years

Impact of Increased CO2-Associated Ocean Acidification on Marine Food Chains

Eukaryotic phytoplankton - diatoms, coccolithophores, & dinoflagellates.

Diatoms are favored in a dynamic, turbulent ocean (today); they will be less competitive in a stratified, steady state ocean (tomorrow).

Coccolithophores are very competitive in stratified systems, but produce calcium carbonate plates; ability to compete will be compromised as the ocean becomes more acidic.

Dinoflagellates will be the winners;

many Harmful Algal Blooms are dinoflagellates.

Health Effects Associated with Dinoflagellates

Diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (species of the genus Dinophysis).

Neurotoxic shellfish poisoning (Karenia brevis),

Paralytic shellfish poisoning (species of the genera Gymnodinium, Alexandrium, and Pyrodinium).

Ciguatera fish poisoning (Gambierdiscus toxicus).

Impact of a rise in sea level of 3.5 meters on the southeast coastline of the United States

Impact of a rise in sea level of 3.5 meters on the coastline of Oahu

Why Do We Want (Need!) To Do This?

• Economic Necessity

– Fossil Fuels are Becoming Scarcer

(1) Global Energy demands are increasing…

http://www.exxonmobil.com/Corporate/energy_issues_energydemand.aspx

(2)… but global fossil fuel production is not keeping up.

Decreasing Oil SupplyO

il D

isco

very

/Pro

duct

ion

Our Global Challenge

• By 2050:

• Double Energy Production, and;

• Halve (or better) CO2 Emissions

Why Do We Want (Need!) To Do This?

• Ecological Necessity

• Economic Necessity

• Intellectual Challenge

Marine AlgaeCompelling Advantages

• Algae Consume CO2, a Major Greenhouse Gas• Do Not Use Fresh Water• Do Not Require Arable Land• Grow Very Rapidly• Represent a “New” Source of Fuel*• Represent a New Source of Animal Food • *Historical Footnote - Most of Our “Old” Fuels (i.e.,

Fossil Fuels) Were Produced by:

MARINE ALGAE!

Bigelow Laboratory Phytopia

Bigelow Laboratory Phytopia

Not a New Idea

Bigelow Laboratory Phytopia

Studied for years

Reported yields for biomass crops

Rapeseed

Palmoil

Jatropha

Microalgae

Soya

Biomass (Mt/ha/yr)

Oil-content (% dry mass)

Bio-diesel

(Mt/ha/yr)

Bio-diesel (bbl/ha/yr)

1-2.5 20% 0.2-0.5 1.4-3.5

3 40% 1.2 8.2

19 20% 3.7 26.4

7.5-10 30-50% 2.2-5.3 16-38

140-255 35-65% 86.6 350-700

Note: 1Mt bio-diesel equals 1,136 litres

Bigelow Laboratory Phytopia

Photobioreactors

• Advantages– Controlled, optimized conditions– Contamination can be minimized– High rates of production

• Disadvantages– Expensive

Bigelow Laboratory Phytopia

Open Ponds

• Advantages– Economical– Relatively simple

– High rates of production possible

• Disadvantages– Potential for contamination (competitors, invaders)– Less control of conditions (e.g., pH, Temp)

Bigelow Laboratory Phytopia

PHOTO-BIOREACTORS OPEN PONDS

• Continuous • Nutrient sufficient• High yield• Small area

• Batch• Short residence time• Large area

+

Cellana two-stage cultivation

Bigelow Laboratory Phytopia

Optimizing Production

Huesemann et al., 2008, Appl Biochem Biotechnol

Bigelow Laboratory Phytopia

Optimizing ProductionChoosing the Right Species:

• Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Oils

• Taxonomic Characterization

Determining the Right Grow-Out Conditions

• Temperature

• Light

• Nutrients

• Agitation

Challenges & Opportunities

• Unknown Microbes

Challenge: 1,000s of species, >90% not isolated, > 99.9% never cultivated!

Opportunity: Unexplored biodiversity!• A Very Young Technology

Challenge: 7,000 years of agriculture vs 60 years of algaculture

Opportunity: Scope for rapid progress• Technology Integration – complete process

Challenge: Technology development at new interfaces, e.g. marine optics, fluid mechanics, bioprocess engineering

Opportunity: New interdisciplinary field

Cellana Group

• Incorporated: 11 December 2007- Cellana LLC and Cellana BV- HRBP: algae cultivation- Royal Dutch Shell:

technology integration and scaling,

network, project management, reach

• - Shell interested in oil off-take

Cellana’s vision: to be the world’s preferred sponsor of commercial algae oil and protein facilities

A Scene on the Ice by Hendrick Avercamp was inspired by the harsh winter

of 1608 in Europe.

We shouldn’t be surprised that the Dutch are interested in meeting this

challenge

We shouldn’t be surprised that the Dutch are interested in meeting this

Challenge

Netherlands Battens Its Ramparts Against Warming Climate

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/08/0829_wiredutch_2.html

Cellana Partners

KPF

3x UH

Houston

USM

ThorntonDalhousie

FCP…?

Amsterdam

Westhollow

Bodo

The Hague

SFSU

136 FTEs

• University research• Shell research • Cellana production facilities• Cellana corporate

Duke

Cellana Science & Technology

Strain selectionCultivation &Processing

IntegratingScaling

Templating

Dalhousie University

University of Hawaii

University of Southern Mississippi

San Francisco State University

Kona Pilot Facility

Shell LabsShell

TechnologySuppliers

No GMOs

Photobioreactors

Open Ponds

Downstream

2.5 ha

1,000 ha

20,000 ha

Strain Selection

“Upstream” Science Program

HTS1 HTS2 HTS3 MSS1 MSS2 MSS3 LSS

Pre-screening: High-Throughput Screening (HTS): Mid-scale Screening (MSS): Large-scale Screening (LSS): DemonstrationComplete bibliographic data Lab-based Outdoor production simulations Full-scale production Sustained production runs

3 levels, production criteria 3 levels 30-day trials 90-day trialsDouble-blind design Variable production criteria

5000 75 12 8 8 8 8 4 2

Dalhousie University

University of Hawaii

University of Southern Mississippi

Kona Pilot Facility

San Francisco State University

Novel isolates

Use natural genetic variability – no GMOs

Cultivation and Processing

CO2

Cultivation

Waste Heat

Dewatering

CO2

WaterNitrogen

PhosphorusElectricity

Processing

Dry Biomass Residue

Carbohydrates

Harvesting

Water

Possible power feedstock for own use (CO 2 recycle)

O2

Industrial Facility

v

Animal FeedProtein

Lipids FAMEs/VO

Upstream & Downstream:

Kona Pilot Facility

First Commercial Plant

Aquaculture

• Future Production Directions• New Carnivorous Fish Species, • Low Fish Meal Feeds• Zero-Exchange, • Value-added Processing• Intensive Production

• Disease Resistance

Aquaculture

• Future Production Directions• New Carnivorous Fish Species, • Low Fish Meal Feeds• Zero-Exchange, • Value-added Processing• Intensive Production

• Disease Resistance

Single-Cell Protein and Oil. Single cell oils (SCO), extracted from microorganisms grown under heterotrophic conditions, can also be rich in omega-3 oils. There is mounting interest by the biofuels industry to develop microalgae as a feedstock, which could help reduce production costs over time.

Scaling and Integrating• 2.5 ha 1000 ha 20,000 ha

• Leveraging Shell’s expertise– Technology selection and due diligence– Integration of technologies– Design of large scale plants– Project management– Professional infrastructure

• Health, Safety, Environment• Environmental Impact Assessment• Product Quality Management• Contracting & Procurement

– Network, reach, etc.

Screening ProtocolCulture

CollectionsNovel

Isolates

Targeted CandidateStrains

Phase 1a:rapid growth / N-depletion

3 Temperatures

Phase 1b:growth rate / composition

N source

DiurnalTemp / Light

Phase 2: (Detailed Analyses)

Mass Culture Validation

Flashing Light:High Freq.

NutrientDepletion

Integration / Modeling

Where we are now

HTS1 HTS2 HTS3 MSS1 MSS2 MSS3 LSS

Pre-screening: High-Throughput Screening (HTS): Mid-scale Screening (MSS): Large-scale Screening (LSS): DemonstrationComplete bibliographic data Lab-based Outdoor production simulations Full-scale production Sustained production runs

3 levels, production criteria 3 levels 30-day trials 90-day trialsDouble-blind design Variable production criteria

5000 75 12 8 8 8 8 4 2

Dalhousie University

University of Hawaii

University of Southern Mississippi

Kona Pilot Facility

San Francisco State University

Kona Pilot Facility

Temporary

Kona Pilot Facilityprove the concept• 2010

• 2.5 ha• Freeze initial set

of technologies• Show that a facility can

produce “large” amounts of algae and can be…– NPV-positive– Energy-positive

– CO2-negative

First Commercial Plantattract investors

• 2014• 1000 ha• Integrate and scale

technologies• Demonstrate acceptable

technology risk• Proof…

– The Concept– The Three Equations

(NPV, Energy, CO2)

Commercial Rolloutrealizing the opportunities…

BV LLC

Plant I Plant II Plant III Plant n

Licen

ses,

Equity

Updat

es

Design

Opera

tor

Fees a

nd U

pside

/Divi

dend

s

CO2

Water

Real Estate

Power

Nutrients

Oil

Protein

Carbohydrates

Private Investors

Public Investors

Bank Loans

$ $ $$ $ $

priv publ loan priv publ loan priv publ loan priv publ loan

Why Do We Want (Need!) To Do This?

• Ecological Necessity

• Economic Necessity

• Intellectual Challenge

Why Do We Want (Need!) To Do This?

• Ecological Necessity

• Economic Necessity

• Intellectual Challenge

• Benefits to Hawaii

Benefits to Hawaii - Short Term

• Science Education

– Research Students

Benefits to Hawaii - Short Term

• Science Education

– Research Students

• Job Creation

– High Interest

– High Value

Jan Nakaya:

Research Student to High Interest, High Value Job

Benefits to Hawaii - Long Term

• Carbon-Neutral Power Generation

– Ma’alaea Power Station

• Energy Self-Sufficiency

– Well, Maybe

Benefits to Hawaii - Long Term

• Carbon-Neutral Power Generation

– Ma’alaea Power Station

HR BioPetroleum, Alexander & Baldwin, Hawaiian Electric and Maui Electric to Develop Algae Facility for Biodiesel on Maui

A Petroleum-Free Hawaii?

PlantFeedstock

Oil Production(bbl acre-1 y-1)

Required Area (acres)*

Soybean 1.14 8,736,000

Rapeseed 3.02 3,298,000

Oil Palm 15.10 660,000

Microalgae 175.00 54,300**

* Hawaii’s transportation fuel consumption is 26,000 bbl/day (9,500,000 bbl/year)** Kaho`olawe is 28,000 acres

Why Are We Doing This?

• Ecological Necessity

• Economic Necessity

• Intellectual Challenge

• Benefits to Hawaii

A Problem for Solazyme, A Potential Opportunity for UH

• The Navy wants Solazyme to produce biofuel in Hawaii

• Solazyme’s technology uses GMO algae

• Hawaii Dept. of Ag won’t allow GMO algae into the state

• Solazyme may have UH engineer the algae to their specifications

CO2 MITIGATION &RENEWABLE OIL FROM PHOTOSYNTHETIC MICROBES