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The city of Venice has announced a plan to utilize algae in a different way than we're used to hearing about. The Italian city plans to produce 50 percent of its electricity needs from an algae-based power plant instead of fossil fuels.
The water-filled city is turning what has become a nuisance into a renewable energy resource. The city will be producing electricity from two types of algae that are brought in clinging to ships and regularly grow over the seaport. The algae will be cultivated and treated in laboratories to turn it into fuel. The fuel will then be used to power turbines in a new 40 MW power plant in the center of the city.
In order to make the new power plant truly carbon neutral, any CO2 produced by the process will be fed back to the algae.
The innovative project will cost the city $264 million and should be operating in two years.
via EcoWorldly
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written by Luis, April 01, 2009
That's something really amazing, particularly because of the way they ahieve carbon neutrality!
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written by Bethany, April 01, 2009
I love that they have thought about feeding the CO2 produced back to the algae. And Kato is correct, this really isn't a very expensive project, especially seeing as the cost of operating it shouldn't increase given then they are using a sustainable fuel source.
I hope that it goes well so that other cities might be able to follow suit.
I hope that it goes well so that other cities might be able to follow suit.
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written by An Earthling, April 01, 2009
Imagine an annual U.S. trillion warmonger's budget divided by this roughly 300 million:
13'333 bespoke power plants for more than tree thousand towns with enough sunshine!
Saber-ratling is sooo bad for us
13'333 bespoke power plants for more than tree thousand towns with enough sunshine!
Saber-ratling is sooo bad for us
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written by Bill Becker, April 01, 2009
Can anyone tell me how they harvest and de-water the algae? We should be doing such things in the more than 400 dead zones around the world.
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written by bbm, April 01, 2009
I love that they have thought about feeding
the CO2 produced back to the algae.
This seems like an unnecessary and expensive step, as algal sources already would be CO2 neutral as the algae would be getting the CO2 to grow from the air. Even if not captured, there would be no net CO2 release. It does make sense to capture the CO2, however, if the process requires very high CO2 concentrations to make the algae grow faster.
As fae as 50% of their total energy, it sounds better than it is. Venice barely has any people living in it anymore (too expensive even with gov subsidies) and their electrical needs are pretty small. 40 MW just is pretty small... less than a tenth the size of a typical power plant.
So it will be nice, if it works, but not as nice as it sounds.
the CO2 produced back to the algae.
This seems like an unnecessary and expensive step, as algal sources already would be CO2 neutral as the algae would be getting the CO2 to grow from the air. Even if not captured, there would be no net CO2 release. It does make sense to capture the CO2, however, if the process requires very high CO2 concentrations to make the algae grow faster.
As fae as 50% of their total energy, it sounds better than it is. Venice barely has any people living in it anymore (too expensive even with gov subsidies) and their electrical needs are pretty small. 40 MW just is pretty small... less than a tenth the size of a typical power plant.
So it will be nice, if it works, but not as nice as it sounds.
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written by hecThor, April 02, 2009
@bbm: if you want the algae to grow fast enough to have an economically viable process, you need a highly concentrated CO2 source. The re-use of the CO2 is also needed as CO2 is agressive for monuments, and it does not seem nice for tourists.
Maybe 40MW is not much, but this project would be a worldwide reference for microgeneration with renewable energy 100% time available.
And remember, it would also save transport losses and free grid capacity! :) (Italy is a big importer of electrical energy from France and Germany, so losses are quite huge)
Maybe 40MW is not much, but this project would be a worldwide reference for microgeneration with renewable energy 100% time available.
And remember, it would also save transport losses and free grid capacity! :) (Italy is a big importer of electrical energy from France and Germany, so losses are quite huge)
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written by Orfintain, April 02, 2009
I don't think you will able to use all of the CO2 in the process.
I know you can't put a algae "plant" in the middle of the city, algae is crop that requires large amounts sunlight and open spaces rooftop systems are expensive. They are probable looking at 3-10 acres per MW, optimistically.
I know you can't put a algae "plant" in the middle of the city, algae is crop that requires large amounts sunlight and open spaces rooftop systems are expensive. They are probable looking at 3-10 acres per MW, optimistically.
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written by gbc, April 06, 2009
In the italian press release this company claims that the plant will be self sufficient an that all the fuel will be produced in 10 Hectares (100.000 sq.m) of algae cultivation.
A simple calculation shows that the plant must produce algae with an energy content that amounts to at least 6 times the solar energy incident on the plant area.
A simple calculation shows that the plant must produce algae with an energy content that amounts to at least 6 times the solar energy incident on the plant area.
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written by KtD, April 22, 2009
I was certainly not expecting this idea! And, yes, I too am slightly critical as to how this largely algae-fueled city will operate. But I am also hopeful (or know that I should be). This is how an energy-switch is going to start--with some crazy ideas and one that becomes successful. If anything, it seems well worth trying. I watched an interesting video on all of this at newsy.com earlier today. It's worth checking out:
http://www.newsy.com/videos/from_scum_to_power_source/
http://www.newsy.com/videos/from_scum_to_power_source/
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50% of their energy! Wow...