Algae-based biomass for production of fuels and chemicals

由生物质生产的燃料和化学品正引起人们的极大兴趣，因为这些燃料和化学品在整个生命周期中的温室气体足迹较低。该研究项目旨在评估基于藻类的氢气和稀释剂生产。藻类的生物量生产率高于大多数农业和林业生物量。沥青的改质需要氢气，并且这种需求在未来将显著增加。目前，大部分氢气都是从天然气中生产的。沥青与稀释剂混合用于管道运输，其需求量也将在未来增加。如果氢和稀释剂是从藻类生物质中产生的，这将大大减少油砂的温室气体足迹。这项研究将开发数据密集型技术经济模型，用于评估利用藻类生物质生产稀释剂和氢气的成本。还将对生命周期内不同藻类转化途径进行能源和排放评估。将开发不同转换途径的净能量比，这将有助于了解通过不同转换途径产生一个单位能量所需的能量。将评估一系列藻类生产和收获系统。该项目的结果将有助于石油工业清楚地了解基于藻类生物质的氢气和稀释剂生产的成本。该项目旨在培训至少9名能源建模和可再生能源领域的高素质人员。这些HQP可以在加拿大快速发展的可再生能源部门发挥重要作用。

Fuels and chemicals produced from biomass are gaining a lot of interest as these fuels and chemicals have lower greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint over the life cycle. This research project is aimed at assessment of algae-based hydrogen and diluent production. Algae have higher biomass production rates compared to most of the agricultural and forest based biomass. Hydrogen is required for upgrading of bitumen and this demand is going to increase significantly in future. Currently most of this hydrogen is produced from natural gas. Bitumen is mixed with diluent for pipeline transport and its demand is also going to increase in future. If hydrogen and diluents are produced from algal biomass, this will reduce the GHG footprint of oil sands significantly. This research will develop data intensive techno-economic models for assessment of the utilization of algal biomass for production diluents and hydrogen in terms of cost. An energy and emission assessment of the different algae conversion pathways over life cycle will also be performed. Net-energy-ratio for different conversion pathways will be developed which will help in understanding the amount of energy required to produce a unit of energy through different conversion pathways. A range of algal production and harvesting system will be assessed. The results of this project will help the petroleum industry with a clear understanding of the cost of algal-biomass based hydrogen and diluent production. This project aims at training at least nine highly qualified personnel (HQPs) in the area of energy modeling and renewable energy. These HQPs could play a significant role in fast developing renewable energy sector in Canada.