Dec 20 2010
IHS, a pioneering leader providing critical data and insight, has published its first study comparing process designs and the financial side for the production of 30 million gallons per year of biodiesel from three different microalgal technological methods in the latest SRI Consulting report titled ‘Biofuels from Algae’.
The problems that beset the first and second generation biofuels seem to have been solved by technology and also as algae does not compete with feed or food crops, extensive yields could be produced when compared to the present agricultural crops and they could also be produced in barren land.
The report delivers a sharp comparison especially on the financial aspect of three methods supported by fundamental engineering analytical methods. Variable and fixed costs and the required capital outlay are also discussed. The report scrutinizes algal oil production from three methods namely microalgae grown in open pond raceways by using phototrophic algae growth; hetertrophic growth in closed fermentors; and phototrophic cultivation in closed photobioreactors (PBRs).
According to Dr. Sudeep Vaswani, author of Biofuels from Algae, author t and a consultant, economically the open pond raceway would be the best method but this method needs a high fixed capital outlay. The heterotrophic methods also shows a lot of promise with its low capital costs and least real estate needs, high productivity levels and immunity from external source contaminants. The report has been created mainly for investment communities, biofuel producers, technologists and governments who would be interested in the comparison of algae biofuel technologies with various other green technologies.
SRI Consulting is the world’s foremost business research service for the chemical industry all over the world. With a publishing history of over 60 years it is now a part of the IHS group and is a superlative source for process analysis and in-depth business. IHS founded in 1959 has a 4400 strong workforce spread over more than 30 countries all over the world.
Source: http://www.ihs.com