Reviewer Comments - EERE

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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. Is this near a coal supply...etc. And what about distribution lines for the electricity generated? What is the energy balance once all that has been factored in...etc. I would suggest that the PI's go back to the reports of Benemann et al, and Lundquist et al. Model those systems and then expand. Reviewer: 7 Criteria Score: 3 Much of this assesment appears to be redundant with NREL Algal Biofuel Baseline Costs and other published cost and resource analyses. Presenter Response The approach builds upon previous feedstock supply modeling work conducted at the INL and consists of essentially two main components: 1) development of an algal logistics module (ALM) that will leverage the history of supply system modeling at the INL; and 2) integration of this expanded feedstock supply model with the co-funded work being conducted at PNNL expanding their Biomass Assessment Tool (BAT) to include algae. The completed product will be the Integrated Assessment Framework that will allow us to select appropriate locations for algal farms based on specific criteria including land value, slope of land, sunlight, temperature, water availability, etc. and then to model the logistics and costs associated with the placement of a particular farm design at that site. Co-location or proximity to other resources such as waste-water treatment plants or existent coal-fired plants as a source of CO2 as well as proximity to transportation infrastructure and processing facilities are will also be considered by the IAF. There is no expectation of building plants adjacent to algal farms, but through the use of the IAF, sites with appropriate characteristics will be identified for siting of algal farms. The Solix model was not the basis for our design, which as the reviewer suggests is not economically viable. We agree that it would make sense to site algal-farms near water resources such as the Gulf Coast or wastewater treatment plants. We also agree that modeling existing algal farms is essential both from design and validation perspectives. We are working to incorporate such designs into our model databases. The algae logistics module consists of numerous data layers that can be tailored to a particular site and configuration. No aspect of the design is hardwired, allowing the model to be dynamic as new engineering solutions to the challenges in algal biofuel production are developed This logistics modeling effort does provide cost data for system design concepts in a similar fashion to previous techno-economic analysis efforts including the assessment performed by NREL. The most important products of this work are not economic analyses, but rather the establishment of an engineering decision making framework that can couple suites of models and data sets supporting the development of viable algae supply system technologies and designs. Economic evaluations of system performance are clearly a critical component of establishing viability and are one of the important assessment metrics delivered through the modeling toolkit. As noted by the reviewers, achieving cost and performance targets required to make algal biofuels a reality will require engineering advancements to existing technologies and systems. The modeling framework being built through this work is strictly focused on providing the ability to determine performance at the engineering fidelity required to support new technology and concept development. 2. Technical Progress and Accomplishments Please evaluate the degree to which the project has made progress in its objectives and stated project management plan has met its objectives in achieving milestones and overcoming technical barriers Page 102 of 223
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. Reviewer Comments Reviewer: 1 Criteria Score: 5 The Project has only been operational for a short time. Reviewer: 2 Criteria Score: 5 The partners are making progress but need to evaluate their data sources carefully and improve them, and the processes and scale used. Reviewer: 3 Criteria Score: 4 Development of a GIS-based Biomass Assessment Tool that integrates high-resolution data with biophysical models to provide spatially/temporally explicit estimates of production potential and resource demands and constants Reviewer: 4 Criteria Score: 3 See Overall Impression text. Reviewer: 5 Criteria Score: 5 Progress is limited because the project began in the fall of 2010. Reviewer: 6 Criteria Score: 7 In terms of effort and work done, this is fine. Reviewer: 7 Criteria Score: 3 Preliminary model uses several technologies that have been shown to lack viablity based on technoeconomic analysis, and modeling results appear to confirm previous work. Presenter Response The modeling framework consists of numerous model and data layers that can be configured to represent a particular site and farm design. This allows the model to be dynamic as new engineering solutions to the challenges in algal biofuel production are identified. We established the baseline design presented as that, simply a baseline. We pointed out that we recognized that the scale of 1-acre farms included in the baseline has been shown to not be economically feasible. It did provide use with a starting point to begin populating our databases with equipment and energy use specs, and was also used to help us put together the linkages between the different elements of the farm, and also for the development of the hooks between the different components of the joint model for integration of the logistics analysis (ALM-INL) with the biomass resource assessment (BAT-PNNL). The initial phase is essential to the development of the model, and raceways and farms of appropriate scale and configurations will be introduced into the framework developed through this baseline effort. We agree that the baseline design lacks viability and that the modeling effort confirms previous work. Additional farm designs will be incorporated as the model is refined, and will yield an integrated assessment that extends beyond currently available models. The IAF will provide DOE with a decision support tool for robust exploration of open pond microalgae production potential and resource demands for the conterminous United States. 3. Project Relevance The project both identifies with and contributes to meeting the platform goals and objectives of the Biomass Program Multi-Year Program Plan The project has considered applications of the expected outputs Page 103 of 223
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Reviewer Comments - EERE

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