Process Design and Economics for the Production of Algal Biomass: Algal Biomass Production in Open Pond Systems and Processing Through Dewatering for Downstream Conversion
Open accessAbstract
This report describes in detail a set of aspirational design and process targets to better understand the realistic economic potential for the production of algal biomass for subsequent conversion to biofuels and/or coproducts, based on the use of open pond cultivation systems and a series of dewatering operations to concentrate the biomass up to 20 wt% solids (ash-free dry weight basis).
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Davis et al. (2016) assumes a minimum biomass purchase price of $541 per metric ton and requires an annual average biomass production rate of 25 g m−2 d−1 to break even.
“The Davis et al. (2016) open raceway pond (ORP) assessment optimistically assumes a minimum biomass purchase price of $541 metric ton -1 ($491 US ton -1 ), which requires an annual average biomass production rate of 25 g m -2 d -1 to break even [16].”
From Microalgae to biofuels through hydrothermal liquefaction: Open-source techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment (2021) · cites this paper as [16]
The Executive Summary and Section 4.1.2 pair an average minimum biomass selling price of $491 per US ton (about $541 per metric ton) for the 10-acre designs with a targeted annual average productivity of 25 g/m²/day. But the Working Capital section explicitly distinguishes that selling price, calculated for a 10% return, from the break-even production cost of $309 per US ton. The source therefore does not say that 25 g/m²/day is required to break even at the quoted price. (LLM, conf=0.90)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredOnly with high biocrude yield and a $5 GGE−1 fuel cost target can HTL start to allow a $571 dry metric ton−1 (2019$) biomass cost target outlined in Davis et al. (2016).
“Only with high biocrude yield and a $5 GGE -1 fuel cost target can HTL start to allow a $571 dry metric ton -1 (2019$) biomass cost target outlined in the Davis et al. (2016) ORP assessment [16], which already makes optimistic assumptions on algae raceway pond technology.”
From Microalgae to biofuels through hydrothermal liquefaction: Open-source techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment (2021) · cites this paper as [16]
Section 3 (“Top-Down” Analysis of Cultivation Cost Demands) identifies a biomass selling-price target near $430 per ton and says reaching it requires improvements beyond current pond performance. The Executive Summary specifies 2011 dollars for the paper’s per-ton estimates. Our copy does not give the claimed $571 per dry metric ton in 2019 dollars or a conversion establishing that figure; the HTL threshold is the citing authors’ framing, not a finding attributed to this source. (LLM, conf=0.82)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredOnly with high biocrude yield and a $5 GGE−1 fuel cost target can HTL start to allow a $571 dry metric ton−1 (2019$) biomass cost target outlined in Davis et al. (2016).
“Only with high biocrude yield and a $5 GGE -1 fuel cost target can HTL start to allow a $571 dry metric ton -1 (2019$) biomass cost target outlined in the Davis et al. (2016) ORP assessment [16], which already makes optimistic assumptions on algae raceway pond technology.”
From Microalgae to biofuels through hydrothermal liquefaction: Open-source techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment (2021) · cites this paper as Davis et al. (2016)
Section 6.2 describes a $430 per US dry ton biomass target in 2011 dollars and says that, at that price, the modeled HTL fuel cost is $4.35–$4.49/GGE. Section 3 says reaching the biomass target requires improvements beyond current pond performance. The report does not state a $571 per dry metric ton target in 2019 dollars or make a $5/GGE target and high biocrude yield the conditions for reaching it. (LLM, conf=0.86)
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References 59 · Cited by 324
Research works printed but not linked: 30
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- Authors
- NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), G., Davis, R., USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), B. T. O. (.-3., Markham, J., Kinchin, C., Grundl, N., Tan, E., & Humbird, D.
- Affiliations
- National Laboratory of the Rockies (US)
- DWH Process Consulting, Denver, CO (United States)
- Published
- 2016-02-17
- OpenAlex
- W2468509011
- Cited by
- 324
- References
- 59
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 36 · 2022: 35 · 2021: 46 · 2020: 46 · 2019: 35 · 2018: 37 · 2017: 24 · 2016: 8
- Type
- report
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- public-domain
- Locations
- OSTI OAI (U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information) (submittedVersion, public-domain)
- Funders
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Bioenergy Technologies Office (EE-3B)
- DOE (AC36-08GO28308)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Algal biology and biofuel production
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agronomy and Crop Science › Bioenergy crop production and management
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Aquatic Ecosystems and Phytoplankton Dynamics
- Keywords
- algal biomass production, open pond cultivation, dewatering, biomass concentration, biofuels, coproducts, process design, economic analysis, algal biofuels
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