Biofuel Production in Ireland—An Approach to 2020 Targets with a Focus on Algal Biomass

Abstract

Abstract:Under the Biofuels Obligation Scheme in Ireland, the biofuels penetration rate target for 2013 was set at 6% by volume from a previous 4% from 2010. In 2012 the fuel blend reached 3%, with approximately 70 million L of biodiesel and 56 million L of ethanol blended with diesel and gasoline, respectively. Up to and including April 2013, the current blend rate in Ireland for biodiesel was 2.3% and for bioethanol was 3.7% which equates to approximately 37.5 million L of biofuel for the first four months of 2013. The target of 10% by 2020 remains, which equates to approximately 420 million L yr −1

Golden Tides: Problem or Golden Opportunity? The Valorisation of Sargassum from Beach Inundations

“…Macroalgal biomass typically has lower lipid content, 0.3%-6% compared to microalgae, which can have 10%-70% [24,70,166,167]. Macroalgae would, therefore, not appear to be a suitable feedstock for the production of biodiesel via trans-esterification.…”

“…A biorefinery concept that attempts to commercialise all the components of seaweed has been suggested as a more appropriate approach for the further exploitation of seaweed, rather than an approach based solely on the production of biofuel [166,182,183]. During the First World War, Hercules was producing 54 chemicals from seaweed; it closed shortly after the war when demand fell and alternative supplies became available [184].…”

UK Macro-Algae Biofuels: A Strategic Management Review and Future Research Agenda

“…These have included studies in the UK, Ireland, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, Chile and China [14] with macro-algae biofuels under investigation including the production of methane [37], ethanol [38], biodiesel and more recently, aviation biofuel. In the UK, brown algae have been identified as having the greatest potential for bioconversion to energy as they are often found in colder waters [39]. Additionally, the majority of biomass comes from a relatively small number of species in the orders Laminariales and Fucales with subtidal large brown kelps of the order Laminariales thought to have the most potential [39].…”

“…In the UK, brown algae have been identified as having the greatest potential for bioconversion to energy as they are often found in colder waters [39]. Additionally, the majority of biomass comes from a relatively small number of species in the orders Laminariales and Fucales with subtidal large brown kelps of the order Laminariales thought to have the most potential [39]. Particular species that have been suggested for biofuel production and have been successfully grown and harvested include Gelidium amansii, Laminaria japonica, Laminaria saccharina, Sargassum fulvellum, Sargassum naozhouense, Saccharina latissimi, Palmaria palmata, Ulva lactuca and Ulva pertusa amongst others [15,39,40].…”

Methods of energy extraction from microalgal biomass: a review

“…Increasing the gasification temperature and using a catalyst, such as nickel or potassium carbonate increases the yield of hydrogen, and reduces tar production in the bio-crude. SCWG in the presence of a catalyst can considerably increase the proportion of methane in the syngas with 60-70 % of the heating value from the microalgal biomass being recovered as methane (Murphy et al 2013;Suali and Sarbatly 2012).…”