Biosequestration the MBD way: from Coal through Algae to Clean Fuel

Queensland Government has committed A$1 million for a groundbreaking trial which uses algae to soak up carbon emissions from the Tarong Power Station, the first coal-fired power station in Australia to use the technology as part of the $5 million MBD Energy Limited trial. MBD’s Tony St Clair will be speaking about his company’s progress in biosequestration in Australia at next week’s 3^rd Algae World Asia 2010 conference in Singapore.

Ken Hickson reports from the Carbon Expo in Melbourne where MBD CEO Andrew Lawson provided an update on the company’s plans to capture CO2 to feed its algae plants to produce clean energy in Australia.

Next week, on 19/20 October the 3^rd Algae World Asia 2010 will be held in Singapore. MBD’s Tony St Clair is not only one of the keynote speakers, but also session chairman on day two. For the full programme of the conference go to http://www.futureenergyevents.com/algae/3rd-algae-world-asia/conference-schedule/

Here we provide just a glimpse or an overview of the MBD presentation by Tony St Clair on the subject:

Algal capture and conversion of CO2emissions for the sustainable production of biomass, oil and other algae products

MBD is the Australian leader in large scale, algae based bio-fuel and food production, and CO2bio-sequestration

•Strong and experienced Board and Executive Management Team

•Compelling sustainable solution to 3 significant world issues: oil, food and CO2

•Modular , scalable, fully integrated and automated low cost algae based “CO2to energy” system

•Signed Formal Agreements with 3 major Australian CO2emitters -Binding Contracts (Tarong) /MOUs (Loy Yang & Eraring)

•Staged Deployment of 1 Hectare (ha) “proof-of-concept” underway -insituat Tarong PowerStation over 12 months to 3Q11

•3 Stage Commercialisation Plan: (1) Display, 2011; (2) Commercial, 2013; (3) Large Scale Expansion, 2015

•2 Patent Applications submitted: (1) International “PCT” (2009); and (2) Expanded “Provisional”(2010)

•Exclusive relationship, and access to proprietary algae libraries (both micro and macro), with world leading algae Research expertise at James Cook University (JCU), Queensland

•Existing large scale Research and Development Facility (5000m2) at JCU

•Cornerstone Investor -Anglo American, 2009

•Secured (thus far) in-excess of A$6.4M in Federal and State Government Grants

•Established Partnerships with Key Tier-1 services and technology suppliers

Joint Statement by Queensland Premier Anna Bligh and Minister for Main Roads, Hon. Craig Wallace

(11 October 2010):

Government invests $1 million in algae carbon capture project

The State Government has committed $1 million for a groundbreaking trial which uses algae to soak up carbon emissions from a coal fire power station.

Premier Anna Bligh said Tarong Power Station near Kingaroy will be the first coal-fired power station in Australia to try the technology as part of the $5 million MBD Energy Limited Tarong trial.

Premier Anna Bligh said the technology would not only capture CO₂ from the plant but it would also produce a range of valuable products.

“In simple terms the algae eats the carbon and then produces material that can be used in things like bio-diesel, stockfeed and bio-plastics,” she said.

“This technology has enormous potential to make a positive impact in our battle against climate change,” she said.

“But the products it can produce means it could also be worth many millions of dollars to the Queensland economy.”

Ms Bligh said that as part of the trial MBD Energy would start construction on a one hectare algal biomass display plant beside Tarong Power Station, 180km north-west of Brisbane, in December.

“The research and development for this landmark project has been undertaken at a purpose made facility at James Cook University in Townsville,” she said.

“This is a wonderful example of the sort of smart and green industry that can see Townsville become a globally recognised city.”

Premier Bligh said MBD Energy had also agreed to build facilities next to power stations in Victoria (Loy Yang A) and New South Wales (Eraring Energy), with construction underway first at Tarong.

The Tarong Power Station test plant, once fully built, is expected to capture about 700 tonnes per annum of CO₂, the equivalent of taking 170 cars off the road for a year.

It is also expected to produce one tonne of algal biomass per day, 120 tonnes per annum of algal oil and 240 tonnes per annum of algal meal by 2012.

The Algal Synthesis process involves the injection of carbon gases into waste water contained in large plastic tubes to produce oil-rich algal biomass every 24 hours.

Member for Thuringowa Craig Wallace said: “It can be harvested every day to produce algal meal suitable for animal feed and oils that can be used to make plastics and transport fuels.

“It’s a clever concept and I take my hat off to the local team at JCU for their ingenuity,” he said.

Member for Townsville Mandy Johnstone said that the sale of the products could offset the cost of building and operating the carbon capture technology.

“For technology such as this to be developed in Townsville shows the great potential our city has to become a global leader in tropical technology,” she said.

Member for Mundingburra Lindy Nelson-Carr said there had already been successful trials of the technology at JCU’s Townsville campus.

“This new trial is about testing the technology on an industrial scale and this Townsville developed technology has a real chance of making a difference in the battle against climate change,” she said.

MBD Energy Limited’s Managing Director Andrew Lawson welcomed the Queensland Government funding, saying it would directly assist MBD and JCU establish the proven technology at the company’s Algal Synthesiser at Tarong.

“If successful we expect to commercialise the Tarong project by expanding to approximately 80 hectares, thereby producing 11 million litres per annum of algal oil and 25,000 tonnes of algal meal and abating approximately 70,000 tonnes of CO² during 2013,” Mr Lawson said.

Director of JCU’s North Queensland Algal Identification and Culturing Facility Associate Professor Kirsten Heimann said the Tarong project would confirm selection of the best strain of microalgae.

“Strain selection and management is a vital component to the success of large scale algae biomass production,” she said.

Source: www.mbdenergy.com