accurate cost of oil extraction ??

[mushroomman]

How much does it actually cost to extract the oil from the algae say 500 lbs--2ton quantities
Of course you have to figure-- capital investment upfront & interest on that amount, maintenance. operating cost. energy input etc....
I believe this is a very important expense I'm sure that the best method is yet to be perfected but there should be
some rough numbers say .15/gal algae oil

[hthuijs]

the cost of extraction greatly depends on methods and means and are between $0.05 and 0.25 per gallon of algal oil. The three well known methods are a normal milling process, a pressure vessel and chemicals used. The percentage of extraction of fatty acids depend greatly on the method.

[alka]

the cost of extraction greatly depends on methods and means and are between $0.05 and 0.25 per gallon of algal oil. The three well known methods are a normal milling process, a pressure vessel and chemicals used. The percentage of extraction of fatty acids depend greatly on the method.

hi i have just join this forum.
i want to know when cost is $0.05 - .25 per gallon then why it is not in market. what are the reason which hurdle its mass use or production.

[sreevatsansumukhi]

How much does it actually cost to extract the oil from the algae say 500 lbs--2ton quantities
Of course you have to figure-- capital investment upfront & interest on that amount, maintenance. operating cost. energy input etc....
I believe this is a very important expense I'm sure that the best method is yet to be perfected but there should be
some rough numbers say .15/gal algae oil

The cost of algae oil production depends on the methods used for its cultivation.

Research studies claim that the sedimentation/filtration + Hexane solvent extraction+ transesterification seems to be the cheapest method of making algae oils. Its estimated cost is around $3.30 /gallon This cost is applicable to cultivation in open ponds, while cultivating algae in PBR 's using the same method will cost about $10.76/gallon .

[sreevatsansumukhi]

hi i have just join this forum.
i want to know when cost is $0.05 - .25 per gallon then why it is not in market. what are the reason which hurdle its mass use or production.

Generally speaking, there are many bottlenecks to commercialize algae production:

Strain selection – Choosing a right strain with high lipid content and high
environmental tolerance is a difficult exercise.

• Land requirements – Large tracts of land areas are required to setup algae farms,
where terrestrial cultivation is considered.

• Cost of nutrients – Algal cultures need to be enriched with nutrients for their
growth and division, and this adds to the cultivation costs.

• Contamination in open pond algae cultivation – Algae that are cultivated in open
ponds are vulnerable to contamination.

Cost of algae cultivation using photobioreactors – The capital and operational
costs of algae cultivation using photobioreactors are very high.

• Cost of algae harvesting – Harvesting is energy intensive and this adds
significantly to operational costs.

• Efficient and cost effective oil extraction from algae – High-efficiency extraction
methods carry high costs.

Consequently, the real challenges that hinder large-scale, commercial biofuel production
from microalgae are the following three:
• Difficulties in optimal strain selection

• High cost of photobioreactor

• High cost of microalgae harvesting.

Hope this helps !!

[DR Johansen]

Consequently, the real challenges that hinder large-scale, commercial biofuel production
from microalgae are the following three:
• Difficulties in optimal strain selection
• High cost of photobioreactor
• High cost of microalgae harvesting.
Hope this helps !!

Seems all three of these would be avoided if the business plan were to harvest the naturally occuring algae blooms that are beginning to plague the world's seas and oceans.

[sreevatsansumukhi]

Seems all three of these would be avoided if the business plan were to harvest the naturally occurring algae blooms that are beginning to plague the world's seas and oceans.

Hi ya,
Yes,as you rightly said, may be we can divert the business plan provided we are able to harvest these algae from the blooms. I think collecting these nuisance algae will be very difficult because of the bottlenecks faced by the open ponds against the bioreactors. Yet another problem I guess, is the drying of these algae,they work out to be very expensive and significant energy loss. Moreover, I think that the oil content in these algae are drastically low when compared to the others in use.

[DR Johansen]

...provided we are able to harvest these algae from the blooms. I think collecting these nuisance algae will be very difficult because of the bottlenecks faced by the open ponds against the bioreactors.

The algae should be predominantly in the form of plankton which is netted quite nicely with plankton nets. Use sail boats and you don't even expend fuel to harvest it.
I have also often thought that in the HNLC (high nutrient, low chlorophyll) areas of the central Pacific, it might be beneficial to net out the natural plankton, fertilize with iron micronutrients, seed desired plankton species and create massive blooms of my own. Come back in a week and net out the bloom. Something to do when I am retired perhaps.

...Yet another problem I guess, is the drying of these algae,they work out to be very expensive and significant energy loss.

I have always considered supercritical CO2 extraction methods the way to go. I don't believe the plankton NEEDS to be dried to use SC CO2 extraction. TBD.

...Moreover, I think that the oil content in these algae are drastically low when compared to the others in use.

2% of megatonnes is quite a bit of oil. I somnetimes wish I lived near New Orleans so i could go sailing along the coast with a plankton net and check this out. Anyone on this forum live on the Gulf coast? If so, and if you have or have acess to a boat, please PM me.