- 209 views
- 417 downloads
Assessment of Environmental and Economic Footprints of Algae Production Systems for Colder Climate
-
- Author / Creator
- Pankratz, Stanley
-
Many open pond raceway (OPR) production systems for algae cultivation continue to be developed for moderate and hot climates (e.g., the USA, Europe and Australia). However, there has been very limited research on economic and environmental evaluations to assess whether these systems can be applied in Canadian northern climatic conditions commercially. Nor has a study been conducted to determine either the economic or the environmental impacts of using algae biomass as a feedstock for conversion to diluent and hydrogen for Canadian oil sands.
This thesis evaluates the techno-economics of cultivating algae in Colder climate like Canada via both OPR and photobioreactor (PBR) technology systems. The research focussed on developing a data-intensive analytical model that considered environmental factors to predict algae yields of 2,000 tonnes per day. The results are provided by way of a comparative techno-economic assessment (TEA). Comparisons between OPR and PBR technologies based on TEA reporting provide optimistic insights and recommendations related to the economic sustainability of an algae industry in Canada.
Where the calculated minimum biomass selling price (MBSP) for algae produced by OPR and PBR at present is $1,288 T-1 and $550 T-1 respectively, the techno-economic research provides optimism that biomass production at below $200 T-1 may be achievable, especially where PBR technologies are used. -
- Graduation date
- Fall 2019
-
- Type of Item
- Thesis
-
- Degree
- Doctor of Philosophy
-
- License
- Permission is hereby granted to the University of Alberta Libraries to reproduce single copies of this thesis and to lend or sell such copies for private, scholarly or scientific research purposes only. Where the thesis is converted to, or otherwise made available in digital form, the University of Alberta will advise potential users of the thesis of these terms. The author reserves all other publication and other rights in association with the copyright in the thesis and, except as herein before provided, neither the thesis nor any substantial portion thereof may be printed or otherwise reproduced in any material form whatsoever without the author's prior written permission.