Theoretically, methane can be produced from any of the three constituents of algae – carbohydrates, proteins and fats.Closed algal bioreactors offer a promising alternative route for biomass feedstock production for bio-methane. Using these systems, micro-algae can be grown in large amounts (150-300 tons per ha per year) using closed Bioreactor systems (lower yields are obtained with open pond systems). This quantity of biomass can theoretically yield 200,000-400,000 m of methane per ha per year.

Methane Production by Anaerobic Digestion

This appears to be the most straight-forward method of producing methane from algae.
A process for obtaining methane from algae, involves the following successive stages:
- Pre-treatment of the algae, capable of producting a liquid suspension of fine solid particles, said treatment being moreover capable of partially depolymerizing the solid algae matter,
- Running the suspension through a fluidized bed containing granules on which enzymes are immobilized which are capable of transforming the particles into sugar, said liquid containing acidific bacteria capable of transforming said sugars into volatile fatty acids,
- Decantation of the suspension, so as to remove any solid particles that may remain, and to extract a decanted liquid, and
- Running the decanted liquid across a fixed bed containing methanogenic bacteria set onto a support so as to cause the liquid to release a gas mixture containing mainly methane.

Methane Production by Pyrolysis / Gasification

•    One possibility for making methane from algae is the direct pyrolysis of microalgae. Wu et al. (1999) report the direct pyrolysis of marine nanoplankton as a source of methane and oils with Emiliania huxleyi, a widely distributed coccolithophorid species in world oceans with the authors suggesting this as one of the most promising candidates for the production of biofuel.
•    Methanation of syngas produced from gasification of Algal Biomass is another route to produce methane-rich syngas, sometimes also called synthetic natural gas.

Research on Methane from Algae

•    In 1960 Oswald and Golweke proposed the use of largescale ponds for cultivatin
algae on wastewater nutrients and anaerobically fermenting the biomass into methane fuel.
•    Bio-methane from Algae Efforts by Solar Biofuels Consortium  - The Solar-Biofuels consortium is co-ordinating a range of research streams to analyse and optimize the use of micro algae for bio-methane production
o    IMB Queensland (A/Prof. Hankamer): Industrial feasibility studies are being conducted to evaluate the use of micro algae produced in closed bioreactors for bio-gasification
o    University of Karlsruhe (Prof. Posten): The optimisation of bioreactor systems designed for high throughput algae production for bio-methane production.
o    Solar Biofuels Consortium web site:www.solarbiofuels.org

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