Feasible Within 15 Years,

Researchers Predict

Science (Aug. 13, 2010) — Within 10 to 15 years, it will be technically possible to produce sustainable and economically viable biodiesel from micro-algae on a large scale. Technological innovations during this period should extend the scale of production by a factor of three, while at the same time reducing production costs by 90%. Two researchers from Wageningen UR (University & Research Centre) believe this to be possible.

In their article in Science (published 13 August), they provide a detailed explanation of the route that needs to be taken.

By producing microscopically small algae in bulk in large-scale installations, Europe should be able to become independent of fossil fuels in a sustainable way. Algae could even contribute to the sustainable production of food. To cultivate algae on a large scale, fertilisers (nitrogen and phosphates) could be extracted from manure surpluses and wastewater, with CO₂ coming from industrial residues. The energy source for algae is sunlight. Biodiesel and an almost unlimited quantity of protein and oxygen are the sustainable products of this process. The amount of fresh water consumed in algal cultivation is minimal because seawater can be used.

In a nutshell, that is the idea put forward by Professor René Wijffels and Dr Maria Barbosa of Wageningen UR in their perspective article An Outlook on Microalgal Biofuels in Science.

Sunlight and wastewater

Both authors demonstrate in their article that, according to calculations on energy consumption in transport in Europe, almost 0.4 billion m³ biodiesel would be needed to replace all transport fuels. The cultivation of micro-algae requires 9.25 million hectares of land — equal to the surface area of Portugal — assuming a yield of 40,000 litres of biodiesel per hectare, to supply the European market.

Algae produce the maximum quantity of oily substances when growing under stress. Such conditions can for instance be induced by a shortage of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphate.

Algae are much more efficient at converting sunlight and fertilisers into usable oily substances than agricultural crops such as oilseed rape. It is not even necessary to have full sunshine for algal cultivation, which is why it is possible to design reactors that look like vertical plates, on to which the light shines from one side. In this way, it is possible to produce 20-80,000 litres of oil per hectare. In comparison, one hectare of oilseed rape or oil palm yields only 1500 or 6000 litres, respectively.

Financial aspects

The 5000 tonnes of algae (dry matter) now produced annually in the whole world has a value of €250/kg. The price is so high because algae can make rare (and therefore expensive) substances like carotenoids and omega 3 fatty acids that are converted into high-quality products such as food supplements. That is extremely expensive when compared with the palm oil (cost price €0.50 /kg) used as a fuel. However, palm oil and other fuel crops are controversial. To investigate whether the use of algae as biofuels is feasible, a feasibility study was carried out on scale enhancement in algal cultivation. This showed that presently the cost price could be reduced to €4/kg. By making use of residues such as wastewater and CO₂ from exhaust gases, by improving the technology and by shifting production to sunnier countries, it would even be possible to reduce the price to one-tenth of that level, namely, €0.40 /kg.

Even then, however, the production of bioenergy from algae would not be financially viable. To achieve that goal, the whole algal biomass would have to be utilised. This consists of roughly 50% oil (40 cents/kg, thus), 40% proteins (yielding 120 cents/kg) and 10% sugars (100 cents/kg). This causes the value to rise to €1.65/kg which is enough to run production on a large scale.

Proteins

Algal proteins offer interesting possibilities. If all transport fuels were to be replaced by algal oil on a European scale, 0.3 billion tonnes of protein would become available as well. That is 40 times more than the amount of protein in the soya that Europe imports each year. Thus, algae would allow us to produce food and feed proteins as well as sufficient quantities of biofuel.

In order to manufacture biofuels from agricultural crops such as oilseed rape, 10,000 litres of fresh water are required to produce each litre of fuel. This is an incredibly large volume. By cultivating algae in seawater, it is possible to achieve the same result with just 1.5 litres of fresh water/kg of product.

With the aid of sunlight, algal growth requires 1.3 billion tonnes of CO₂ (Europe produces 4 billion tonnes/year, mainly from fossil fuels) and 25 million tonnes of nitrogen (wastewater and fertilisers contain 8 million). In other words, algal cultivation would not normally compete with food production.

A sustainable pilot-study facility AlgaePARC (Algae Production and Research Centre) will soon be starting up in Wageningen. Here it will be possible to study the scaling up of algal production and to compare various technologies, taking into account energy costs for building, production and logistics during the production of biofuels from algae.

Algae need to be interesting as a food source for fish and shellfish farming within five years. Five years after that, it should be possible to achieve applications such as providing protein sources in foods as well as basic chemicals for the manufacturing industries. Then, in 10-15 years’ time, biofuels should be available.

Sourced & published by Henry Sapiecha

Lifecycle. Wind power generation from the roof top of your building

David Hare, who describes himself as an “environmental
entrepreneur”, owns 80 per cent of Windation Energy Systems
Australia – a would-be maker of rooftop wind turbines. (The
turbines’ American designer owns the other 20 per cent).
The missing piece is another investor to take him from
holding the Australian and New Zealand licence rights to
contracting a local manufacturer to, if all goes well, selling
turbines to commercial building owners.
But the 38-year-old’s “main business” is one he owns solely:
Eco Rebates.
As well as holding the Windation investment, Eco Rebates
advises homeowners and businesses on how they can save

energy and water. Its 60 assessors have been accredited under

the national Green Loans program (meaning the federal government will pay the $250 assessmen fee on homeowners’ behalf).
A vegetarian since he was 24, Hare’s entrepreneurism is even more longstanding.
His family’s engineering firm(Hare & Forbes) stretches back over eight decades. In his 20s his marketing helpedCentury 21 become Optus’ top mobilephone dealer in the 1990s.
The following decade he wenton to found his first business,
thecomputerschool.net, a computertraining company he sold in 2007.
Its sale seeded a series of propertyprojects, which fed Hare’s growing
awareness of how homes and buildingsadd to climate change. Eco Rebates
turned this awareness into a businessopportunity. In October, 2008, a headline
on technology website CNET – “Urban wind power inspired
by ancient Persia” – caught Hare’s attention. He immediately
made contact with the subject of the story, Iranian-born
Mark Sheikhrezai, who was installing his first wind turbine at
the Palo Alto Medical Foundation in California. Sheikhrezai
persuaded Hare to bring the idea to Australia.
The turbine, which generates up to 5 kilowatts of electricity,
is about the size of a commercial rooftop air-conditioning unit.
Hare says there is “quite a bit of interest” from local building
owners and power companies but says he needs the help of
the government (which subsidises rooftop solar panels but not
wind turbines), local industry (to bring the unit and installation
cost down from $30,000) and, of course, investors.
The green tinge of his newest ventures is no accident, Hare
says. “I am very passionate about making positive, constructive
changes globally.”.

….More >>>Windation Energy Systems_Australia_Commercial in Confidence V2

…More >>> www.mandatorydisclosureconsultants.com.au

Received & published by Henry Sapiecha

With a 65-Percent Efficiency

Science (June 17, 2010) — Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/) researchers want to develop solar cells with an efficiency of over 65 percent by means of nanotechnology. In Southern Europe and North Africa these new solar cells can generate a substantial portion of the European demand for electricity. The Dutch government reserves EUR 1.2 million for the research.

The current thin-film solar cells (type III/V) have an efficiency that lies around 40 percent, but they are very expensive and can only be applied as solar panels on satellites. By using mirror systems that focus one thousand times they can now also be deployed on earth in a cost-effective manner. The TU/ researchers expect that in ten years their nano-structured solar cells can attain an efficiency of more than 65 percent. Jos Haverkort: “If the Netherlands wants to timely participate in a commercial exploitation of nanowire solar cells, there is a great urgency to get on board now.” The research is conducted together with Philips MiPlaza.

They think that nanotechnology, in combination with the use of concentrated sunlight through mirror systems, has the potential to lead to the world’s most efficient solar cell system with a cost price lower than 50 cent per Watt peak. In comparison: for the present generation of solar cells that cost price is 1.50 euro per Watt peak.

Stacking Nanowires make it possible to stack a number of subcells (junctions). In this process each subcell converts one color of sunlight optimally to electricity. The highest yield reported until now in a nanowire solar cell is 8.4 percent. Haverkort: “We expect that a protective shell around the nanowires is the critical step towards attaining the same efficiency with nanowire solar cells as with thin-film cells.” Haverkort thinks that at 5 to 10 junctions he will arrive at an efficiency of 65 percent.

Scarcity of raw materials In addition, the researchers expect considerable savings can be made on production costs, because nanowires grow on a cheap silicon substrate and also grow faster, which results in a lower cost of ownership of the growth equipment. What is more, the combination of the mirror systems with nanotechnology will imply an acceptable use of the scarce and hence expensive metals gallium and indium.

An agency of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, will grant the EUR 1.2 million to researchers dr. Jos Haverkort, dr. Erik Bakkers en dr. ir. Geert Verbong for their research into nanowire solar cells. It is their expectation that, when combined with mirror systems, these solar cells can generate a sizeable portion of the European electricity demand in Southern Europe and North Africa.

Sourced & published by Henry Sapiecha

LANNER® chip crusher

LANNER® chip crushers are suitable for breaking up steel wool, stainless steel, titanium, aluminium, brass and cast chips that are high in oil content. The broken, free flowing chips achieve around 20% of their original volume depending on the type of material.

Chips from high-alloyed or rough materials are not a problem for our chip crushers. The robust design of the electromechanical motor means you can apply ideal crushing parameters. You have the option of a hydraulic motor for chips with a high percentage of bulk. Added bulk such as rods or turned parts are removed from the crushing area by automatic bulk separators. If bulk like this does end up in the crushing funnel, the motor switches itself off. Then a part of the crushing wall opens. A quick reversal of the knife head sends some of the already crushed chips and the bulk part out through the open hatch. Then the hatch closes and the crusher starts up again.

Chip crushers for crushing long chips

• Suitable for steel, stainless steel and aluminium chips
• Suitable for cast, titanium and brass chips
• Possible volume reduction of up to 80%
• Compact and robust design
• Precision grinder with bulk separator
• Valuable, hardened knife with long lifetime
• Low energy consumption
• Mechanical or hydraulic motor
• Safe and quiet to use
• Highly wear-resistant lining possible
• 

LANNER® chip crushers are suitable for breaking up steel wool, stainless steel, titanium, aluminium, brass and cast chips that are high in oil content. The broken, free flowing chips achieve around 20% of their original volume depending on the type of material.

Chips from high-alloyed or rough materials are not a problem for our chip crushers. The robust design of the electromechanical motor means you can apply ideal crushing parameters. You have the option of a hydraulic motor for chips with a high percentage of bulk. Added bulk such as rods or turned parts are removed from the crushing area by automatic bulk separators. If bulk like this does end up in the crushing funnel, the motor switches itself off. Then a part of the crushing wall opens. A quick reversal of the knife head sends some of the already crushed chips and the bulk part out through the open hatch. Then the hatch closes and the crusher starts up again.

An SPS controller in the control box manages the disturbance function on a fully automatic basis.
More information…

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this product ? Manufacturer’s
contact details

Sourced and published by Henry Sapiecha 23rde May 2010

Perwez – Three 1500kW wind turbines – September 2006

This project consists of three 1.5MW windmills installed in cooperation with Aspiravi. The windmill farm has an average annual energy production of 9.8GWh (9,800,000 kWh), which equals the annual energy needs of approximately 3000 families. Sourced & published by Henry Sapiecha 18th July 2009

Middelkerke – One 800kW wind turbine – June 2007

The Middelkerke solar farm already featured 2 windmills; a third one was added with a capacity of 800kW. All in all, the site in Lombardsijde provides green energy for some 2000 families. Sourced and published by Henry Sapiecha 18th July 2009

Two years ago the MDHCC brought in anew high-efficiency gas engine tri-generation plant .

The results have beensignificant in the high energy savings and
reduction of CO2 emissions.
Since the installation of the new system, MDHCC has raised COP by 0.5 points and has achieved a 24% reduction of fuel
consumption and cut CO2 emissions by 24,000t/a.
This saving of energy and reduction of CO2 emissions results from the best mix of optimum layout and design of highefficiency equipment such as gas engines which generate power using clean natural gas as fuel and optimum operational technology.
Two high-efficiency Wärtsilä engines with a power generation efficiency of
45.6% have been introduced for the firsttime into Japan. Electrical power
produced by the gas engines runs theelectric turbochiller to produce chilled water. The surplus electrical power isused to power the plant and is also sold to generate cost benefits.
The Wärtsilä gas engines not only produce high levels of efficiency but they also provide low costs of operation as natural gas costs less than fuel oil and the consumption of lubricating oil is at a minimum level.
A heat recovery system uses the gas engine’s waste heat to produce steam to power the engine’s waste heat boilers toproduce large amounts of steam which drives absorption chillers that produce chilled water. Additionally, no steam is Steam operations in Japan

Clever utilisation of steam is at the heart of the Makuhari District Heating and Cooling Centre located just outside Tokyo. Many consider it the perfect model of trigeneration.Wasted as it is actively used as a heat
source in all kinds of situations at theoperator’s facilities.
The beneficial aspectsSteam created by the furnace flue boiler becomes the heat source for customer’s heating and is also used as a heat source
for the steam absorption chiller.

Water tube boiler is operated primarilyto drive the steam turbine turbo chiller.
Heat generated during cooling of the gas engine is sent to the hot water absorption chiller to be used as a heat source for the air conditioning.
In addition, high temperature heat generated by the gas engine is used to
create steam at the heat recovery boiler,which is used as the heat source to produce chilled water for air conditioning at the steam absorption chiller.
The cooling towers are installed on the upper portion of the pyramid and serve to radiate heat generated to the chillers.
The district heating and chilling pipelines are installed in purpose-built culverts which run throughout the city
The tri-generation power plant contributes to the local environment by
significantly reducing CO2 emissions and preventing air pollution by reducing both NOx and SOx emissions.
The heating and cooling of buildings is, in many cases, installed by independent air conditioning systems. The buildings must each provide everything from installation of various heating and cooling sources to management, operation and maintenance.
On the other hand, district heating and cooling generates ‘heat’ such as chilled water and steam collectively at a single energy plant.
This is a centralised system that supplies this through pipes to multiple buildings located within a fixed area. By entrusting such matters to energy professionals, customers are able to use ‘heat’ that is safe,secure and environmentally-friendly.
A spokesman for the MDHCC told IPA:
“The concept of tri-generation is now a proven, cost effective alternative for a continuous supply of electricity, heatingand cooling needed all year round.”
www.wartsila.com
Internet link
IPA

Sourced and published by Henry Sapiecha 16th July 2009

Mitsubishi Heavy to Test CO2

Recovery from Coal-fired Flue Gas

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd (MHI) and Southern Company, a major US power company, will jointly launch a field test in 2011 to recover high-purity carbon dioxide (CO₂) from coal-fired flue gas.

The two companies will set up a CO₂ recovery demonstration plant, which is designed to be built at a medium-scale thermal power station in Alabama, the US. Based on the results of this demonstration plant, they will aim to commercialize the recovery plant in the future.

The field test will be subsidized by the US government. The demonstration plant will be constructed in Plant Barry, a coal-fired power station owned by Southern’s subsidiary Alabama Power. Recovered CO₂ will be compressed and stored in an aquifer deep underground.

The demonstration plant is composed of various facilities such as those for pre-processing, CO₂ absorption/reclamation (absorption and reclamation towers) and CO₂ injection. The plant will recover 500t of CO₂ per day (equivalent to that produced when 25,000kW electricity is generated). The recovery rate is 90% or higher. The purity of recovered CO₂ is expected to be 99.9%.

The recovery process is as follows. Coal-fired flue gas contains not only CO₂ but also ‘impurities’ such as SOx, NOx, heavy metals and halogen compounds. These impurities are removed as much as possible in the pre-processing facilities, and the flue gas is cooled to near room temperature.

Flue gas with most impurities removed is taken into the absorption tower. Inside the tower, the gas is brought into contact with an absorbing solution so that only CO₂ is absorbed into the solution. The solvent, “KS-1,” is an amine-based material co-developed by MHI and Kansai Electric Power Co Inc.

Next, the solution containing CO₂ is sent to the reclamation tower, where CO₂ and the solution are separated from each other by heating. Then, CO₂ is recovered, and the solution is recycled.

MHI has already commercialized a system to recover CO₂ from natural gas-fired flue gas. But, in order to apply this system to coal-fired flue gas, an additional process is required to remove heavy metals and halogen compounds because the impurities contained in natural gas-fired flue gas are only SOx and NOx.

Electric Power Development Co Ltd is also testing a CO₂ recovery plant for coal-fired flue gas at its Matsushima Thermal Power Plant. However, the amount of CO₂ recovered at the plant is only 10t per day. Therefore, a field test needs to be carried out using a larger scale plant for commercialization.

In addition to the field test announced this time, MHI is planning to construct a demonstration plant with a recovery capacity of 3,000t per day in the UK and intends to start trial operations in 2015.

Sourced and published by Henry Sapiecha 1st July 2009

Rexroth Brochure Highlights Sustainable Manufacturing