Integrating direct air capture with algal biofuel production to reduce cost, energy, and GHG emissions

Abstract

We investigate the potential to reduce costs and greenhouse gas emissions of the utilization of direct air capture of CO2 (DAC) for the production of algal biofuel. We examine four integrated designs for a DAC system comprised of solid amine monolith adsorbents delivering CO2 at the required level for algae cultivation with a photobioreactor (PBR)-based fuel production facility. We show that the integration of DAC with this biofuel production facility provides cost and greenhouse gas emissions benefits. Heat integration decreases operating expenses by reducing energy demand for heating requirements. Mass integration, utilizing flue gas CO2 as a carbon source for the PBRs, decreases the DAC system scale, resulting in both capital and operating cost savings. The most advantageous option depends on the interplay of heat and mass integration while matching the diurnal rhythm of algal growth with the inherently steady pace and energy requirements of the DAC system and fuel production. For these technologies, the DAC-PBR mass and energy integration provides an 18 % cost reduction and a 50 % reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for the current state of the technology.

Keywords

• DAC
• Ethanol
• Techno-economic analysis (TEA)
• Life cycle assessment (LCA)