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.
Presenter Response
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: 4
There are some good outcomes that have relevance. There are others that do not.
Reviewer: 2 Criteria Score: 3
PIs should refocus on core goals/milestones and do costing/scale-up calculations to justify that this is a
sustainable biofuels' production process. In the absence of this, the types of processes and materials being
developed and the bioreactor system itself raises conerns about the amount of energy input required to the
biofuel's derived energy that will be available.
Reviewer: 3 Criteria Score: 7
- Development of an understanding of TAG oil formation in lipid bodies after N deprivation of
microalgae, including de novo synthesis vs. redistribution of membrane lipids. - Development of novel
nanobody based membrane linkage and cell harvesting systems.
Reviewer: 4 Criteria Score: 2
See Overall Impression text.
Reviewer: 5 Criteria Score: 3
Unfortunately, the project's approach and results do not seem relevant to meeting platform goals and
objectives.
Reviewer: 6 Criteria Score: 2
One cannot be relevant until the work is appropriately placed in the reports by Benneman and co-authors.
Reviewer: 7 Criteria Score: 3
The engineered nano antibody work does not appeear to have commerical potential at scale.
The reasoning for pursuing PBRs was vague and non-technical and did not show a pathway to overcome
cost issues for PBRs that have been shown in techno-economic modeling.
Presenter Response
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:
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