ifproductswerealgae

Desert Bloom

Hana Marie Newman

Diesel Engine to Bio-fuels

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Algae to oilgae: The Benefits Production

Non-competitive with food crops Utilization of saline and waste water Absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere Great photosynthetic rates

Consumption Carbon neutral source Complement and diversify our renewable energy

portfolio High lipid content: Comparable energy to wood

Algae: 8-14 kj/gram Best wood: 14 kj/gram

Scale and rethinking the form Disadvantage: Large

Too expensive to compete with large scale oil companies

Advantage: Small Self-sufficient, distributed energy plant

Algae biomass Bricks Pellets



Light my fire, but not with wood Half the world’s population cook their daily

meals over wood fires Inefficient and toxic Produces soot = Black Carbon = 18% of emissions Deforestation, desertification

Costly collection

Algae is an aliphatic compound (least soot producing

compound)



Darfur: Inspiration Darfur Stoves Project

Science Scale Sustainable Impact

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Algae biomass a “fundamental solution”?

"This is a Band-Aid, not a fundamental solution to the problem…but this is what we can do. We are trying to tap into the existing knowledge, to see if we can make a substantial difference, to reduce the misery in Darfur…. we have now shown that we can make a difference."

Ashok Gadgil of Darfur Stoves Project

Desert Bloom: A System



Algae farms run by and employing locals. Selling their products locally at

competitive prices. Supporting the local environment,

economy and health.

Grow, Dry, Compress Grow: Cultivate pond growth Dry: Strain the algae, Sun/Air dry Compress: into logs or ground into a

powder and pelletize or briquette

Conclusion and Next Steps Field tests Backyard algae growing and drying





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