Ulva Lactuca is a fast-growing algae that can be utilized as a bioenergy source. However, the direct utilization of U. lactuca for energy applications still remains challenging due to its high moisture and inorganics content. Therefore, thermochemical processing such as slow pyrolysis to produce valuable added products, namely bio-oil and biochar, is needed. This study aims to conduct a thorough investigation of bio-oil and biochar production from U. lactuca to provide valuable data for its further valorization. A slow pyrolysis of U. lactuca was conducted in a batch-type reactor at a temperature range of 400–600 °C and times of 10–50 min. The results showed that significant compounds obtained in U. lactuca’s bio-oil are carboxylic acids (22.63–35.28%), phenolics (9.73–31.89%), amines/amides (15.33–23.31%), and N-aromatic compounds (14.04–15.68%). The ultimate analysis revealed that biochar’s H/C and O/C atomic ratios were lower than feedstock, confirming that dehydration and decarboxylation reactions occurred throughout the pyrolysis. Additionally, biochar exhibited calorific values in the range of 19.94–21.61 MJ kg−1, which is potential to be used as a solid renewable fuel. The surface morphological analysis by scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed a larger surface area in U. lactuca’s biochar than in the algal feedstock. Overall, this finding provides insight on the valorization of U. lactuca for value-added chemicals, i.e., biofuels and biochar, which can be further utilized for other applications.
Indonesia is the second world’s major macroalgae producer after China, contributing to 28% of the global macroalgae production. Indonesia increased its macroalgae farming output from less than 4 million tons in 2010 to over 9.9 million tons in 2019. It is expected to continue rising to 13 million tons by 2024. The contribution of macroalgal products is quite significant, 60.7% of the total national aquaculture production. To achieve sustainable energy development goals in many developing countries, including Indonesia, biomass to energy technology such as the production of biogas form macroalgae has been considered one of the best options. Therefore, we aim to investigate the potential application of biomass to energy technology via the production of biogas from macroalgae as an alternative source of local power generation. Indonesia’s energy mix and several issues regarding macroalgae production are comprehensively reviewed. Additionally, we also discussed the process of macroalgal biogas production.
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