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.
Reviewer: 3 Criteria Score: 7
Critical success factors which will define technical and commercial viability are the identification of
several candidate algae (strains and/or consortia) capable of rapid growth/lipid production in conjunction
with Nevada’s geothermal resources
Reviewer: 4 Criteria Score: 4
Inadequate as described in the presentation. See other comments on need for an initial scale-up facility
design.
Reviewer: 5 Criteria Score: 2
Critical success factors were identified. However, plans to address these obstacles were inadequate.
Reviewer: 6 Criteria Score: 1
None were present.
Reviewer: 7 Criteria Score: 3
A critical success factor not identifed is definition of a process concept for keeping the water hot.
Presenter Response
The critical success factors outlined in the presentation which will define technical and commercial
viability were presented as the identification of several candidate algae (strains and/or consortia) capable
of rapid growth/lipid production in conjunction with Nevada’s geothermal resources. Though the
presented success factors lack specificity and do not directly reference the productivity improvements that
are anticipated to be attained through the project, success in the stated factors will provide a valuable
contribution to the program. Among the R&D challenges outlined in the Technology Goals of the
National Algal Biofuels Technology Roadmap (page 6) are obtaining sample strains from a wide variety
of environments for maximum diversity, investigating multiple approaches to algal cultivation, and
optimization of systems for algal productivity of fuel precursors (e.g. lipids). A successful project will
contribute directly to these stated challenges/goals. In hindsight, we would amend the stated critical
success factors to include such specific gains that we expect to achieve from the project. Some of these
critical success factors for the project include: The identification of strains and/or consortia associated
with geothermal waters exhibiting capacity for annual average biomass production values > 30 g/m^2/day
with >30% lipid content on a dry weight basis as outlined as a target in the Roadmap (page 81) at
elevated/controlled temperatures; The demonstration of the potential for scalability of at least one of these
strains or consortia through production at the stated rates in an outdoor pilot scale test facility for greater
than 1 month (thus addressing both the rate and stability issues); To assess the utility of and provide the
opportunity for technology transfer of algal production in association with geothermal waters through the
development of pilot scale test facility using geothermal waters for heating and/or growth media.
The success factor, of providing the design specifications for temperature controls of these systems, was
not built into the program as a desired target- mainly because there are several private-sector firms that
are doing this type of work. Simple calculations outlined previously show the heating potential is on the
orders of tens of megawatts even using the waste heat from the small electrical plants and demonstrates
the potential viability of the resource. However, the overall viability of these notional facilities will rely
more on the sustainability of biomass generation and water use and not likely temperature control given
the extremely large heating capacities of these resources.
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