ALGAENET

Renewable energy production through microalgae cultivation: Closing material cycles

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'Combination of anaerobic digestion and microalgae growth can be used for the development of closed loop systems, where carbon and nutrients are recycled. Microalgae biomass produced can be fed to an anaerobic bioreactor, where it is converted to biogas. Subsequently, biogas can be used for energy production. CO2 released can be used for microalgae production, as well as the nutrients released during the anaerobic conversion of the microalgae. Such cycle would be actually driven by sunlight, which provides the energy required to sustain the cycle. The main goal of the present joint exchange programme is to determine the feasibility of using sunlight transformation capacity of microalgae to enhance biogas production of anaerobic digestion processes, by means of CO2 capture from biogas and co-digestion of waste and microalgal biomass. Successful development of a process for bioenergy production from microalgae requires a multidisciplinary approach, since it involves two different sub-processes: On one hand, microalgal cultivation and harvesting and on the other hand biogas and hydrogen production process. The IRSES partners were selected to include institutions with proved experience in both areas, both in Chile and in Europe. The consortium includes experts in algae cultivation (UHU and UANTOF), anaerobic digestion for methane and hydrogen production (IG-CSIC, ICTP, UCV and UFRO) and modelling and control of bioprocesses (UCV). Such selection is intended to promote conditions for transfer of knowledge between Chile and Europe in all the research areas related to this proposal.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Scientists from Chile and Europe are working together to develop a source of renewable energy based on microalgae and sunlight.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Anaerobic digestion, whereby microorganisms breakdown organic material in the absence of oxygen, can be used to recover valuable products from waste. These include energy, which can be retrieved in the form of biogas, as well as nutrients and water.

The 'Renewable energy production through microalgae cultivation: Closing material cycles' (ALGAENET) project will investigate the use of sunlight to enhance biogas production from anaerobic digestion processes.

Sunlight will be used in the production of microalgae, which will be fed into an anaerobic bioreactor. The bioreactor will then convert the algal biomass into biogas, which can be used for energy production. Released carbon dioxide will be used for microalgae production as well as the nutrients released during anaerobic conversion of the microalgae.

A multidisciplinary approach will be used to develop the process as two different sub-processes are involved. The first process is the cultivation and harvesting of microalgae, while the second is the production of biogas and hydrogen.

Project partners include experts in algae cultivation, anaerobic digestion for methane and hydrogen production, and modelling and control of bioprocesses. The make-up of the consortium will also help in the transfer of knowledge between Chile and Europe for all the project's research areas.

To date, 27 exchanges of researchers have been carried out between groups, which correspond to 105 months. These exchanges have proved extremely valuable in developing high-quality research and have opened up many possibilities for future work.