So far these have comprised
• Fish waste to produce bio-diesel
• Micro-algae to produce crude oil for diesel production
• Micro-algae to produce bio gas
• Micro-algae to produce ethanol
• & to a smaller extent the use of macro-algae to produce all of the above energy sources.

There has been lots of talk recently on the potential of duckweed or as it is botanically called “Lemnaceae” as a feedstock for ethanol production.

Duckweed is a small plant that lives in water and is very similar to micro-algae in that it can feed off wastewater and it can suck up CO2, similar to some strains of algae duckweed contain large amounts of starch that can be processed to create ethanol. This would not only lessen the burden on current corn to ethanol production and the debates on fuel vs food, but it would also lower CO2 emissions and hence contribute to mitigating climate change.

The total starch content of duckweed can vary from 3-75% of the dry weight depending on trains and species. Other factors like nutrients and concentration play a large role in the accumulation of starch in duckweed. Some species like Spirodela polyrrhiza combined with swine wastewater and grown anaerobically can contain a starch content of almost 46%.

Duckweed biomass can produce appreciable quantity of starch that can be readily fermented into ethanol. Duckweed has a great potential for the development of an environmentally friendly, economically viable ethanol production.

The First plant, Louisiana Bio Fuels, will be built on a 380 acre site, The site is close to an existing Rice Mill, The rice mill will provide Rice chaff to be used as a feed filler to Dilute the high protein Distillers by product to produce a complete pellet cattle feed to be sold to local markets.

Solazyme is an algae company in South San Francisco. It produces renewable clean fuels, chemicals and food products from algal technology. The CEO, Jonathan Wolfson, said that since their production of the world’s first algae derived jet fuel in September 2008, they have been focusing their research on developing a process to  commercialise  production and cut costs.

Tony Piccolo – Aquatic Biofuels Specialist, Rome-Italy

The company has launched a third-generation of its bioreactors, a 20-meter system that integartes CO2 delivery and increase surface area. The system is water-supported to reduce cost. A fourth generation of photobioreactors is now under development. Willson said at the recent Biofuels: Science and Innovation conference in San Francisco that the problem with contamination of open-pond algae systems had not, in his opinion, been yet overcome.

Open ponds however, still seem the only real option for developing countries due to their lower cost. Until the technology for PBR’s is perfected and costs lowered photo bio-reactors are far from reality in developing countries.

What is your opinion? Please leave your suggestions or ideas below.

Tony Picclo – Aquatic Biofuels Specialist, Rome – Italy

Waste disposal for shrimp cost estimates at around US$145,000 per processor, the biofuel production would not only make a saving on this cost but it would also generate additional income from the production of fuel.

Unlike other fishwaste to biofuel production,  shrimp waste is slightly different. Chitin is the main ingredient in shrimp processing waste – this carbohydrate is not only found in shrimp but also in crab and lobster shells.  The waste is treated with an acid before soaking it in a mixture of bacteria, yeast and fungi. These micro-organisms digest the chitin and convert it into fat, hence producing the biofuel feedstock.  The resulting product is mixed at 5-20 percent biofuel to respective percent petroleum.

The Mississippi -Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, a member of the National Sea Grant College Program administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) -  is funding the research project.

Tony Piccolo – Aquatic Biofuels Specialist, Rome-Italy