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. Reviewer: 3 Criteria Score: 7 Too early to tell. Reviewer: 4 Criteria Score: 7 See Overall Impressions text. Reviewer: 5 Criteria Score: 7 Progress thus far was mainly on QA/QC issues between labs. Project plans were sound. Reviewer: 6 Criteria Score: 8 Fine for time funded. Reviewer: 7 Criteria Score: 4 Good progress is evident in standardized characterization of algae biomass. It appears that the basic criteria for measuring progress in pre-treatment and biomass conversion are not in place. Growing biomass appears to be a bottleneck. Partnership with facility that can supply kg quantities might be valuable. Presenter Response The primary criteria for measuring progress in pre-treatment and biomass conversion for this project will be based on the mass of both carbohydrate and lipid removed/extracted from algae grown under different growth regimes (See above section in Approach). Coupling the advanced characterization method development and leveraging the experience within the team in quantifying cellulosic biochemical conversion, along with the detailed biochemical fingerprinting (QA/QC) enables the SABC to develop and then apply critical tools to allow for quantification of the biochemical conversion process in algal biomass. Defining the criteria and developing the tools to help quantify the biochemical conversion processes are a critical early objective for the project. Biomass supply in the kg range will come from the lead institution ASU. We have devoted significant time and resources into the biomass supply pipeline to ensure adequate supply. We are confident in our ability to meet the needs of the project as defined. However, we are always actively exploring where we can expand the potential sourcing of biomass especially as we look to year two activities and or if we progress faster than expected and have the desire/need to take things to a larger scale or look at additional production strains - especially from [pre]-commercial sources (especially from any of the other DOE funded consortia). 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: 8 The project has the potential to be extremely relevant. Investigators have considered this aim in the program definition. Page 28 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: 2 Criteria Score: 8 Bench-top scale is the major limitation, but project personnel indicated their hope to provide their data on best feedstock species/growth conditions and processing for biofuels to other DoE projects that could implement at larger (production-scale) facilities. Reviewer: 3 Criteria Score: 7 The work provides a basis for integrated algal bio-refinery operations while offering a broad biofuel portfolio. Reviewer: 4 Criteria Score: 7 See Overall Impressions text. Reviewer: 5 Criteria Score: 7 The project goals are highly relevant to the Biomass Program plan. Reviewer: 6 Criteria Score: 9 Most relevant given that focus on whole cell use for fabrication of a range of high value fuels (not just extraction of bio-oil for biodiesel). The deconstruction of biomass fits much of the work being done in the biomass program. Reviewer: 7 Criteria Score: 6 High relevance for algae characterization work. Rational design of process is contingent on having well characterized feedstock. High relevance for biochemical pre-treatment. This addresses a major hurdle in unlocking economical value of algae slurry. Work on converting FAME, FFA, and sugars to fuels is not relevant to overcoming hurdles to algal biofuel commercialization. Algal biofuels will not fail because of fuel conversion process viability. Presenter Response While we acknowledge the general sentiment questioning the relevance of the work converting FAME, FFA, and sugars into fuels as not relevant to overcoming the hurdles to algal biofuel commercialization, we feel some of the nuance of what it really takes to take a new feedstock and make fuel (new or old) may be overlooked in that sentiment. Neither the FAME, FFA, nor sugars produced from algae or any other biomass source will be 100 percent pure or reagent grade. The small portion of the project devoted to making and characterizing finished fuels will evaluate the potential for these impurities to 1) negatively affect conversion process chemistry or operability and 2) negatively affect fuel performance. Additionally, for some fuels such as biodiesel or renewable diesel, both made from lipids, the feedstock chemical structure can have a significant impact on the final fuel properties, potentially in a negative way that would create additional barriers to commercial deployment. While not the main focus of the project, knowing if these issues exist early on will be critical for more rapid commercialization of algal biofuels. 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 Page 29 of 223
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Reviewer Comments - EERE

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