The objective of this techno-economic analysis (TEA) was to define the production cost of the microalga Tetraselmis suecica in a 1-ha plant made of “Green Wall Panel-II” (GWP®-II) photobioreactors. The study was based on an energy analysis carried out for a similar plant located in Tuscany (Italy) and considers the steps from inoculum preparation to the wet algal paste. Costs of equipment and materials were obtained from manufacturers and suppliers, while operating costs and output data (e.g. biomass composition and productivity) were collected during several years of trials at the Fotosintetica & Microbiologica S.r.l. facilities (Florence, Italy). Other data were obtained from Microalghe Camporosso S.r.l. (Imperia, Italy), where a commercial 1,500-m2 GWP®-I plant is in operation and two 250-m2 GWP®-II modules were built and used in the framework of the EU project BIOFAT. This TEA shows that, given a productivity of 36 tonnes per hectare per year, T. suecica biomass can be produced at a cost of €12.4 kg-1 (dry weight). Using conservative assumptions it was estimated that at the 100-ha scale the cost will be €5.1 kg-1. Locating the plant in more favorable climatic conditions (e.g. in Tunisia) will allow reaching 54 tonnes per hectare annually and reducing cost to €6.2 kg-1 at the 1-ha scale and to €3.2 kg-1 at the 100-ha scale. The major cost factors are labor at 1-ha scale in Tuscany and capital expenses in all the other cases. This TEA confirms that microalgal technologies have high potential not only for high-value, but also for medium- and low-value products, while the production of biofuels, protein, food and feed seems currently out of reach. However, the global scenario of agriculture commodities is rapidly changing and other factors (e.g. sustainability), besides a pure economic evaluation, will assume greater importance in the future.

Techno-economic analysis of microalgal biomass production in a 1-ha Green Wall Panel (GWP®) plant / Mario, Tredici; Liliana, Rodolfi; Natascia, Biondi; Niccolò, Bassi; Giacomo, Sampietro. - In: ALGAL RESEARCH. - ISSN 2211-9264. - STAMPA. - 19:(2016), pp. 253-263. [10.1016/j.algal.2016.09.005]

Techno-economic analysis of microalgal biomass production in a 1-ha Green Wall Panel (GWP®) plant

TREDICI, MARIO
;
RODOLFI, LILIANA;BIONDI, NATASCIA;
2016

Abstract

The objective of this techno-economic analysis (TEA) was to define the production cost of the microalga Tetraselmis suecica in a 1-ha plant made of “Green Wall Panel-II” (GWP®-II) photobioreactors. The study was based on an energy analysis carried out for a similar plant located in Tuscany (Italy) and considers the steps from inoculum preparation to the wet algal paste. Costs of equipment and materials were obtained from manufacturers and suppliers, while operating costs and output data (e.g. biomass composition and productivity) were collected during several years of trials at the Fotosintetica & Microbiologica S.r.l. facilities (Florence, Italy). Other data were obtained from Microalghe Camporosso S.r.l. (Imperia, Italy), where a commercial 1,500-m2 GWP®-I plant is in operation and two 250-m2 GWP®-II modules were built and used in the framework of the EU project BIOFAT. This TEA shows that, given a productivity of 36 tonnes per hectare per year, T. suecica biomass can be produced at a cost of €12.4 kg-1 (dry weight). Using conservative assumptions it was estimated that at the 100-ha scale the cost will be €5.1 kg-1. Locating the plant in more favorable climatic conditions (e.g. in Tunisia) will allow reaching 54 tonnes per hectare annually and reducing cost to €6.2 kg-1 at the 1-ha scale and to €3.2 kg-1 at the 100-ha scale. The major cost factors are labor at 1-ha scale in Tuscany and capital expenses in all the other cases. This TEA confirms that microalgal technologies have high potential not only for high-value, but also for medium- and low-value products, while the production of biofuels, protein, food and feed seems currently out of reach. However, the global scenario of agriculture commodities is rapidly changing and other factors (e.g. sustainability), besides a pure economic evaluation, will assume greater importance in the future.
2016
19
253
263
Mario, Tredici; Liliana, Rodolfi; Natascia, Biondi; Niccolò, Bassi; Giacomo, Sampietro
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Tredici et al 2016 Algal Res.pdf

accesso aperto

Descrizione: articolo principale
Tipologia: Pdf editoriale (Version of record)
Licenza: Open Access
Dimensione 869.4 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
869.4 kB Adobe PDF

I documenti in FLORE sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificatore per citare o creare un link a questa risorsa: https://hdl.handle.net/2158/1070854
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 190
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 160
social impact