Growing Algae for Biodiesel on Direct Sunlight or Sugars: A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment

Orfield, Nolan D.; Levine, Robert B.; Keoleian, Gregory A.; Miller, Shelie A.; Savage, Phillip E.

doi:10.1021/sc5004117

Cited by 45Algal biology and biofuel productionEnvironmental Impact and SustainabilityBioenergy crop production and management

Growing Algae for Biodiesel on Direct Sunlight or Sugars: A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment

Orfield, Nolan D., Levine, Robert B., Keoleian, Gregory A., Miller, Shelie A., Savage, Phillip E.·2015·ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering

DOI 10.1021/sc5004117

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Abstract

Growing heterotrophic algae in reactors with sugar as the energy and carbon source rather than sunlight and carbon dioxide is an approach being commercialized today. However, the full environmental impacts of this fuel pathway have not been explored. The objective of this analysis was to compare the life cycle impacts of algal biodiesel produced heterotrophically to a phototrophic pathway featuring algae grown in ponds. A third, hybrid approach utilizing algae capable of both phototrophy and heterotrophy was also explored. Sugar beet and sugarcane were examined as feedstocks for the heterotrophic process. The results indicate that a reduction in the global warming potential (GWP) and an improvement in the net energy ratio (NER) for algal biodiesel could be possible for the heterotrophic and hybrid pathways relative to the phototrophic, but only if reactor cultivation can be performed efficiently and with sugarcane as the feedstock. For example, the NER varies from 0.6 to 1.6 for the heterotrophic pathway, depending on reactor performance, compared to 1.3 for the phototrophic pathway. Sugar crops used as feedstocks for heterotrophic cultivation present concerns about land constraints that are less of an issue for the phototrophic pathway. No pathway presented a clear advantage for the water stress impact metric.

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Sugarcane as a feedstock can diminish the global warming impact associated with biodiesel production.
“In the investigation of microalgae cultivation, Orfield et al. [138] propose sugarcane as a feedstock, demonstrating its potential to diminish the global warming impact associated with biodiesel production.”
From A Holistic Approach to Circular Bioeconomy Through the Sustainable Utilization of Microalgal Biomass for Biofuel and Other Value-Added Products (2024) · cites this paper as [138]

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Authors: Orfield, N. D., Levine, R. B., Keoleian, G. A., Miller, S. A., & Savage, P. E.
Affiliations: University of Michigan (US)
Corresponding author: Orfield, Nolan D.
ORCID: Levine, Robert B.
Keoleian, Gregory A.
Miller, Shelie A.
Savage, Phillip E.
Venue: ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Published: 2015-02-06
Volume: 3
Issue: 3
Pages: 386-395
ISSN: 2168-0485 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1021/sc5004117
OpenAlex: W2328177193
Cited by: 45
References: 56
Citations by year: 2026: 3 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 3
FWCI: 1.09
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering (publishedVersion)
Funders: National Science Foundation (0937992)
Division of Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation
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: algal biodiesel, sugar feedstocks, sugarcane, sugar beet, global warming potential, net energy ratio, land use restrictions, water stress, life cycle assessment

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Growing Algae for Biodiesel on Direct Sunlight or Sugars: A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment

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