Keywords: Algal bioenergy, wastewater, water utility, zero net greenhouse gas emissions, nutrient and metals uptake and fate. ABSTRACTMelbourne Water has developed a Greenhouse and Energy Strategy (GES) to achieve its stated organisational goals of being zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2018 and boost the use or export of renewable energy to 100% of total energy used by 2018. An engineering analysis was conducted to determine feasibility of algal energy production at its facilities. Proven methods of algae biomass production, harvesting, and energy extraction were chosen for this analysis for methane and biofuels production. Analyses produced negative energy balances for proven technologies because of large parasitic energy demands inherent at various stages of the process. In all cases carbonation of water with CO 2 for autotrophic algae production was a large parasitic energy demand. Biofuel production requires heat for drying of biomass, which was also a large energy demand. Although somewhat speculative, mixotrophic production of methane appears to offer an opportunity to achieve a positive energy balance. INTRODUCTIONMelbourne Water has developed a Greenhouse and Energy Strategy (GES) to achieve its stated organisational goals of being zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2018 and boost the use or export of renewable energy to 100% of total energy used by 2018. As part of this effort, this study investigates the technical feasibility of utilising the nutrients in wastewater to produce large-scale amounts of algae for the purposes of energy production.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.