Wageningen UR (University & Research centre) has constructed AlgaePARC (Algae Production And Research Centre) at the Wageningen Campus. The goal of AlgaePARC is to fill the gap between fundamental research on algae and full-scale algae production facilities. This will be done by setting up flexible pilot scale facilities to perform applied research and obtain direct practical experience. It is a joined initiative o
BioProcess Engineering
an
Food & Biobased Research
of th
Wageningen University
AlgaePARC facility AlgaePARC uses four different photobioreactors comprising 24 m² ground surface: an open pond, two types of tubular reactors and a plastic film bioreactor, and a number of smaller systems for the testing of new technologies. This facility is unique, because it is the first facility in which the productivity of four different production systems can be compared during the year under identical conditions. At the same time, knowledge is gained for the development of new photobioreactors and the design of systems on a production scale. For the construction of the facility 2.25 M€ has been made available by th
Ministry of Agriculture
Nature and Food Quality (1.5 M€) and th
Provincie Gelderland
(0.75 M€). Microalgae Microalgae are currently seen by some persons as a promising source of

biodiesel Biodiesel is a form of diesel fuel derived from plants or animals and consisting of long-chain fatty acid esters. It is typically made by chemically reacting lipids such as animal fat ( tallow), soybean oil, or some other vegetable oil ...

and chemical building blocks, which can be used in paint and plastics.René H. Wijffels, Maria J. Barbosa. An Outlook on Microalgal Biofuels. ''Science'', 2010; 329 (5993): 796 Biomass from algae offers a sustainable alternative to products and fuels from the

petrochemical industry The petrochemical industry is concerned with the production and trade of petrochemicals. A major part is constituted by the plastics (polymer) industry. It directly interfaces with the petroleum industry, especially the downstream sector. Comp ...

. When fully developed this contributes to a biobased economy as algae help to reduce the emissions of

carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide ( chemical formula ) is a chemical compound made up of molecules that each have one carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It is found in the gas state at room temperature. In the air, carbon dioxide is trans ...

(CO₂) and make the economy less dependent on fossil fuels. AlgaePARC research The costs of biomass produced from algae for biofuels are still ten times too high to be able to compete with today’s other fuels. Within the business community, the question being asked is how it could be produced more cheaply, making it economically viable. Companies within the energy, food, oil and chemical sectors, the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature & Food Quality, the Provincial Government of Gelderland, Oost NV and Wageningen UR are all working together in or contributing to the algae research centre AlgaePARC in order to answer that question.

External links

* AlgaePAR

* Algae at the WU

References

Biotechnology Biological engineering Bioreactors

See also

External links

References