Reviewer Comments - EERE

2011 Algae Platform Review – Reviewer Comments
Reviewer Comments are direct transcripts of commentary and material provided by the Platform’s
Review Panel. They have not been edited or altered by the Biomass Program.
Critical Success Factors 4.71 1.28 7
1. Project Approach
The project performers have implemented technically sound research, development, and deployment
approaches and demonstrated necessary results to meet their targets
The project performers have identified a project management plan that includes well-defined milestones
and adequate methods for addressing potential risks.
Reviewer Comments
Reviewer: 1 Criteria Score: 6
The Approach builds upon previous feedstock supply modeling work which is a good starting point.
Development of a model which allows for the cost productivity analyses to be performed for various
operating schemes is desirable. One aspect that I may have mistaken is hardwiring in certain processing
steps which are known to be too expensive. I hope that is not the case.
Reviewer: 2 Criteria Score: 5
This modelling project will construct an Algae Logistics Model (ALM) of an Integrated Assessment
Framework (IAF). BAT is included. These model components will be put together, and require lots of
careful project coordination between partners.
The model used flocculation and centrifugation in the model, simply because modelling data were
available; however, these processes may make the process of recovery too expensive at the scale required
for real algal biofuels' production. PIs need to mine older literature (e.g., Oswald, earlier DoE reports) for
data to make a realistic (and productive) model.
The species of algae that are cultured will make a big difference to models; I suggest PIs try to model at
least one specific model. PI had concern that relevant "proprietary data" is making modeling difficult. Try
to avoid this problem by seeing if current DoE-funded projects' can share data plus use older, published
literature.
The scale of the pond that is modelled may be too small.
Reviewer: 3 Criteria Score: 4
Asystematic biophysical evaluation would be provided of resource demands and constraints on
microalgae biofuel production
Reviewer: 4 Criteria Score: 3
See Overall Impression text.
Reviewer: 5 Criteria Score: 5
The goals of the project are to develop an algae logistics model and to provide baseline designs for algal
systems. There seems to be considerable overlap with the NREL project "Algal biofuel pathway baseline
costs."
Reviewer: 6 Criteria Score: 5
Models can be a waste of time if the system modeled is nonsensical. The PI has followed the Solix image
of a large microalgae farm in the middle of the desert surrounding a pilot plant. The obvious problem is
that such a plant will not likely be built, as power plants are not generally built in the middle of nowehere.
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