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New facility powers biofuel research
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November 13 2009
The world-wide race to establish a commercially viable biofuel industry based on microalgae has stepped up a notch with the opening of a national research facility in Adelaide.
The South Australian Premier, Mike Rann, today officially opened the National Collaborative Research and Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) Photobioreactor Facility at the South Australian Research and Development Institute's Aquatic Sciences laboratories at West Beach.
The $5 million facility, the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, will be used to foster R&D into microalgal biofuels and will be available to researchers on a national and international basis.
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A crowd of more than 100 stand by for the official launch of the national NCRIS photobioreactor Download high resolution picture
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SA Premier Mike Rann views a vial of oil produced from microalgae (Dr Eric Capelle in background). Download high resolution picture
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Dr Sasi Nayar is interviewed as the photobioreactor swings into action Download high resolution picture
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"The race is on all over the world to find a way to produce biofuel from the clean and renewable resource of microalgae in a commercially viable way,” said Mr Rann.
“Algal biofuel is attractive because of its relatively high oil yield and its efficiency in recycling carbon.
“Microalgal production is emerging as a method of fixing CO2 from the atmosphere, as the microalgae require only saline water, sunshine and carbon dioxide to grow.
“It is seen to have significant potential as a fuel of the future.
“It is estimated that replacing just 10 per cent of Australia’s mineral diesel with biodiesel from microalgae would bring about a reduction of nearly four million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels.
“It has a great potential to supplement existing engine fuels from low cost, non-food materials.
“This facility, funded by the Australian and South Australian governments through NCRIS, represents a significant step forward in the country’s ability to stay at the forefront of this research.
“South Australia aims to be a leader in this area, and if we can crack the technology, it will add to our national leadership in wind, solar and geothermal,” he said.
“The State Government has invested $22 million over five years to the NCRIS, and this is part of that investment paying off for South Australia in a field that will be critical for future sustainable economic growth."
The state-of-the-art facility provides the capability to research microalgal growth in experimental photobioreactors and raceways as well as develop algal production systems in one central location.
It will attract R&D clients from all over Australia and overseas. One of its first major clients is South-Australian based Algal Fuels Consortium (AFC) comprising SARDI Aquatic Sciences, Flinders University, Flinders Partners, and CSIRO Energy Transformed Flagship.
SARDI Aquatic Sciences Chief and AFC Chair, Professor Rob Thomas, says the new facility will lift R&D into microalgal biofuels to a whole new level.
“We are serious about finding a way to produce microalgae biofuel. We have already been successful at finding suitable species of microalgae for biofuel production. We now have to work out how to produce it commercially."
Enquiries about the project: Rob Thomas 0431 460 722. Additional photo requests: SARDI Marketing Grace Taylor 08 8303 9433.
