Solutions to reduce CO2 emissions and the use of fossil fuels

5th February 2007

 

Research scientists at PML are pioneering new ways to reduce both CO2 emissions and the use of fossil fuels, by tapping into some of the world’s oldest plants.

 

Fossil fuels are believed to originate primarily from tiny, ancient, single-celled plants called microalgae, which fill our oceans and remove more CO2 from the atmosphere than all land plants put together. By culturing microalgae on a large scale in photobioreactors, we are able to use nature’s own way of absorbing CO2 and compared to land plants, microalgae are very efficient absorbers of CO2, with very high growth rates.

 

Steve Skill, Biochemical Engineer at PML, commented: “By coupling photobioreactors with power station or manufacturing plant emissions, we are able to use the waste CO2 to produce a valuable bioresource.”

 

The researchers are collaborating with Carlton Power, who are responsible for developing the Energy Park surrounding UK’s largest, new gas power station on the outskirts of Plymouth. This research will provide a viable alternative to burying CO2 to alleviate increasing CO2 levels.

 

Carole Llewellyn, Marine Chemist from PML, stated: “The beauty of this technology is that once the microalgae have been grown they can be harvested to produce valuable natural products for the healthcare industry. We are collaborating with the Boots Company, who are interested in using microalgae to replace products currently based from petrochemical sources.”

 

There is further potential too. Some species contain high levels of oils, which make them suitable candidates as “biofuels” and in particular, as a replacement for jet fuel. Alternatively, they can also be harnessed to produce ethanol, methanol and even hydrogen. 

 

Currently various land crops are being intensively grown for the production of biofuels. However microalgae have many advantages over land crops as they have a much faster growth rate than land plants, they have the advantage of not causing land erosion or nutrient pollution and they do not require the acreage of land crops.

 

Researchers in Plymouth have recently received research grants from the Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC), Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) under the Technology Programme, to develop photobioreactor technology and to assess the chemistry of the microalgae.