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.
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
Reviewer Comments
Reviewer: 1 Criteria Score: 5
This project has high relevance if there is likelihood that filtration will be included in the best, most
effective, lowest cost process scheme.
Reviewer: 2 Criteria Score: 4
Harvesting technologies are critical to success of algal biofuels' projects, but the practicality of the current
approach will need to be demonstrated.
Reviewer: 3 Criteria Score: 7
Effort aims to improve commercial-scale capabilities in the harvesting and dewatering on microalgal
biomass
Reviewer: 4 Criteria Score: 4
See Overall Impression text.
Reviewer: 5 Criteria Score: 4
Project goals are relevant to the Biomass Program Plan but the results may be limited by the choice of
influent used. Will the results be relevant to paddle-wheel grown outdoor pond algae?
Reviewer: 6 Criteria Score: 4
Unless a quality energy balance is done properly up front this work has little relevance.
Reviewer: 7 Criteria Score: 7
Technological breakthroughs in harvesting and dewatering are needed for algal biofuels to be viable.
Technologies must be evaluated against commercial scale cost and performance requirements to be
relevant.
Presenter Response
Please refer the overall impressions section for the energy analysis and to the approach section for
clarification on strain selection and relevance to populations harvested from outdoor ponds.
4. Critical Success Factors
The project has identified critical factors, (including technical, business, market, regulatory, and legal
factors) that impact the potential technical and commercial success of the project
The project has presented adequate plans to recognize, address, and overcome these factors
The project has the opportunity to advance the state of technology and impact the viability of commercial
algal biomass feedstock supply and conversion, through one or more of the following:
i. Cross-Cutting Analysis (ex. economic analysis, sustainability analysis, resource assessments, risk
assessments)
ii. Feedstock Supply R&D (ex. biology, cultivation, resource use, biomass characteristics,
harvesting/dewatering)
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