BIOfuel From Algae Technologies

Objective

BIOFAT is a ‘microalgae to biofuel’ Demonstration project with a farming area of 10-ha for microalgae cultivation and a target annual productivity of 100 tons per ha. The project will integrate all the processes from single cell to biofuel production. The production stage will be based on photobioreactors for inocula production, and raceways for production of bulk biomass and induction of oil/starch accumulation, necessary to obtain the biofuel (biodiesel and bioethanol). Carbon dioxide derived from fermentation will be used.
Biomass harvesting will be done by pre-concentration and subsequent centrifugation. A low-energy input centrifuge will be used. Extraction will be done by mechanical cell disruption of wet (25-30% dry solids) paste. Oil will be transformed into biodiesel by transesterification, and carbohydrates to bioethanol through fermentation. Oil and carbohydrate accumulation will be obtained by nutrient stress using specific algal strains.
Only marine strains will be used to avoid any competition with food crops. BIOFAT will also develop the concept of algorefinery (i.e., high value co-products besides biofuels).
BIOFAT will demonstrate at 10-ha scale proven and tested technologies which have been developed by Consortium members at small scale. Innovation will be in the scaling-up of the process to the 10-ha Demo Plant.
Specific Engineering and Business Plans for setting up the 10-ha Demo Plant will be based on the results obtained from operation of 2 0,5 ha Pilot Plants (Italy and Portugal). The 2 prototypes existing in Israel and Italy will be used for the training of a development team. The overall sustainability of the algal biofuel and co-products production will be evaluated by LCA. The project will have a duration of 4 years. A funding of 7,733 K€ will be requested to the EC. A specific investment for the Demo Plant will be provided by investors according to the Business Plan developed by the Consortium and by mobilizing the necessary investment support from RSFF.

Field of science

• /engineering and technology/industrial biotechnology/bioprocessing technologies/fermentation
• /agricultural sciences/agricultural biotechnology/biomass
• /engineering and technology/industrial biotechnology/biomaterials/biofuels
• /natural sciences/biological sciences/biochemistry/biomolecules/carbohydrates
• /social sciences/economics and business
• /natural sciences/chemical sciences/inorganic chemistry/inorganic compounds

Programme(s)

• FP7-ENERGY - Specific Programme "Cooperation": Energy

Topic(s)

• ENERGY.2010.3.4-1 - Biofuels from algae

Call for proposal

FP7-ENERGY-2010-2
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

CP - Collaborative project (generic)

Coordinator

A4F ALGAFUEL SA

Address

Estrada Do Paco Do Lumiar Campus Do Lumiar Edificio E R/c
1649 038 Lisboa
Portugal

Activity type

Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)

Administrative Contact

Teresa Alvarez (Ms.)

Participants (10)

Ecocarburantes Españoles, S.A.

Spain

Address

Carretera Nacional 343, Km 7,5
Cartagena

Administrative Contact

Monica Vega Perez (Ms.)

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI FIRENZE

Italy

Address

Piazza San Marco 4
50121 Florence

Activity type

Higher or Secondary Education Establishments

Administrative Contact

Luciana Giovannetti (Prof.)

ABENGOA BIOENERGIA NUEVAS TECNOLOGIAS SA

Spain

Address

Campus Palmas Altas Calle Energia Solar 1
41014 Sevilla

Activity type

Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)

Administrative Contact

Monica Vega Perez (Ms.)

BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV

Israel

Address

.
84105 Beer Sheva

Activity type

Higher or Secondary Education Establishments

Administrative Contact

Schneider Dori (Ms.)

FOTOSINTETICA & MICROBIOLOGICA SRL

Italy

Address

Via Di Santo Spirito 14
50125 Firenze Fi

Activity type

Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)

Administrative Contact

Liliana Rodolfi (Dr.)

EVODOS B.V.

Netherlands

Address

Weegbree 21
4941 VT Raamsdondsveer

Activity type

Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)

Administrative Contact

Marco Brocken (Mr.)

ALGOSOURCE TECHNOLOGIES

France

Address

Boulevard De L'universite 37 Crtt Bureau 273
44600 Saint Nazaire

Activity type

Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)

Administrative Contact

Jean Jenck (Dr.)

IN SRL

Italy

Address

Via Carducci 9A
33100 Udine

Activity type

Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)

Administrative Contact

Martinelli Laura (Dr.)

HART ENERGY PUBLISHING LP

United States

Address

S Voss Road 1616 Suite 1000
Houston

Administrative Contact

Tammy Klein (Ms.)

A & A F. LLI PARODI SPA

Italy

Address

Via Valverde
Campomorone

Administrative Contact

Roberto Repetto (Mr.)