Environmental Life Cycle Comparison of Algae to Other Bioenergy Feedstocks
Abstract
Algae are an attractive source of biomass energy since they do not compete with food crops and have higher energy yields per area than terrestrial crops. In spite of these advantages, algae cultivation has not yet been compared with conventional crops from a life cycle perspective. In this work, the impacts associated with algae production were determined using a stochastic life cycle model and compared with switchgrass, canola, and corn farming. The results indicate that these conventional crops have lower environmental impacts than algae in energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and water regardless of cultivation location. Only in total land use and eutrophication potential do algae perform favorably. The large environmental footprint of algae cultivation is driven predominantly by upstream impacts, such as the demand for CO(2) and fertilizer. To reduce these impacts, flue gas and, to a greater extent, wastewater could be used to offset most of the environmental burdens associated with algae. To demonstrate the benefits of algae production coupled with wastewater treatment, the model was expanded to include three different municipal wastewater effluents as sources of nitrogen and phosphorus. Each provided a significant reduction in the burdens of algae cultivation, and the use of source-separated urine was found to make algae more environmentally beneficial than the terrestrial crops.
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Processing of microalgae to biodiesel or bio-crude oil is extremely energy-intensive.
“Processing of microalgae to biodiesel or bio-crude oil is an extremely energy-intensive production [95].”
From The Perspective of Large-Scale Production of Algae Biodiesel (2020) · cites this paper as [95]
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- Authors
- Clarens, A. F., Resurreccion, E. P., White, M. A., & Colosi, L. M.
- Affiliations
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, McIntire School of Commerce, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4742
- University of Virginia (US)
- Venue
- Environmental Science & Technology
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Published
- 2010-01-19
- Volume
- 44
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 1813-1819
- ISSN
- 0013-936X (ISSN-L)
- 1520-5851
- OpenAlex
- W2051247537
- Semantic Scholar
- 60bbb2ae0418c2165e7d3b477f5e9cc9dbd356c5
- Cited by
- 1,118
- References
- 43
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 31 · 2023: 35 · 2022: 41 · 2021: 57 · 2020: 59 · 2019: 52 · 2018: 67 · 2017: 75 · 2016: 97 · 2015: 97 · 2014: 123 · 2013: 114 · 2012: 108
- FWCI
- 51.17
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Environmental Science & Technology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Algal biology and biofuel production
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Environmental Impact and Sustainability
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agronomy and Crop Science › Bioenergy crop production and management
- Keywords
- algae cultivation, biomass feedstock, life cycle assessment, switchgrass, canola, maize, greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, land use, eutrophication, fertilizer use, wastewater effluent, flue gas, source-separated urine, nitrogen and phosphorus recovery
- MeSH terms
- Rapeseed Oil, Agriculture, Animals, Zea mays, Energy Metabolism, Environment, Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated, Gases, Poaceae, Life Cycle Stages, Virginia, Greenhouse Effect, Crops, Agricultural, Eukaryota
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