Updates on Algal Biofuel Production in

China

Moderator: Guangyi Wang

Prof. & Director

Tianjin Univ. Center for Marine Ecology

School of Environ. Science & Engineering

Tianjin University

2013 Bio Pacific Rim Summit, December 8-11, San Diego, USA

Energy Challenges of China

Over 60% energy imported abroad

By the end of the 12th five-year, non-fossil fuel

consumption increased to 11.4% and major green house

gases reduced by 8-20%;

Reduce energy consumption and

effectively control CO2 emission

in the 12th “five-year”;

Food-crops can not be used to produce energy. Non-food

fuel is the only option.

New Energy Policy

来源：国务院参事办公室

Advantages (cont’d)

Advantages of Algal Biofuels

Panel Speakers:

Guangyi Wang (Tianjin University)

Pengcheng Fu (Beijing University of Chemical

Technology)

Weiwen Zhang (Tianjin University)

Zhongxin Yang (Hangzhou Xinwei Low-carbon

Tech R&D Ltd)

2013 Bio Pacific Rim Summit, December 8-11, San Diego, USA

Production of Biofuels and Chemicals

Using Microalgae Isolated from the Coastal

Regions of China

Prof. & Director Guangyi Wang

Tianjin University Center for Marine Ecology

School of Environmental Science & Engineering

Tianjin University

&

Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School

2013 Bio Pacific Rim Summit, December 8-11, San Diego, USA

R&D Program for Algal Biofuels

R&D Program for Algal Biofuels and High-valued Bioproducts

Biodiversity & environmental

ecology

Life-cycle Analysis & environmental

impacts

Extraction & purification

Thraustochytrids & DHA/oil production

Large-scale production & photo-bioreactor designing

Strain Improvement using synthetic

approaches

Biodiesel, aviation fuels, ethanol, protein, polysaccharide, materials etc.

R&D Program (cont’d)

Biological diversity and ecology

To date >300 different species of local algae have been collected and identified.

Isolation cultivation and characterisation of algal species from Shenzhen Bay and Pearl River Delta

Ongoing experiments focus on characterisation of the most suitable algal species for algal biofuel production (growth rate, lipid accumulation, starch accumulation).

R&D Program (cont’d)

Distribution of algal species (A) and families (B)

(Daroch et al., 2013)

R&D Program for Algal Biofuels

Biological and chemical

features of the microalgal strain

PKUAC 169 (Daroch et al.,

2013)

R&D Program (cont’d)

Marine fungal nutraceuticals

Marine fungi and algae from coastal seawater and sediments contain a wealth of compounds that provide health and medical benefits.

Thraustochytrids are biotechnologically potential marine protists: produce docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (ω-3 PUFA) that is important for human health and development.

Jain et al, 2007

Eicosapentaenoic acid

R&D program (cont’d)

Fatty acid profile

Nile red staining

Liu et al, 2013

R&D Program (cont’d)

Large scale algae cultivation, biomass

production and bioreactor design

Biofuel production requires large productivities and development of photobioreactors.

Large-scale Production

*40 metric tons of fresh biomas (8 tons dry weight) per mu

(300 days)

R&D Program (cont’d)

Biofuel production

Future research will involve lipase-catalysed in situ transesterification of algal oils to biodiesel and production of bioethanol through metabolic engineering.

Production of liquid transportation fuel focuses on biodiesel and bio-kerosene and is currently achieved via chemical methods.

Lu et al. 2011

Transesterification Extraction Biodiesel Biodiesel & Aviation Fuels

Extraction & Conversion

Micro-algal BioEthanol

Guo et al. 2013

Micro-algal BioEthanol (cont’d)

Guo et al. 2013

Growth curves and sugar/production production

Micro-algal BioEthanol (cont’d)

Guo et al. 2013

PKUAC 9

PKUAC 12

Ethanol production using

hydrolysates from algal biomass

Optimization of saccharification

processes;

Engineering strains for 5-carbon

sugars.

Algal Ethanol (cont’d)

Summary Low diversity of microalgal strains is found in the coastal

waters of China;

Thraustochytrids are rich in fatty acids and good resources for

DHA and biodiesel production

Hindakia PKUAC 169 is good candidate for biodiesel

production

Salt stress yielded 3 times more lipid productivity than nitrogen

starvation;

Predominantly composed of C14-C18 fatty acids;

Content of PUFA below 12% (EN14214).

Scenedesmus abundans PKUAC 12 is a good candiate for

ethanol production

total sugars of 10.75 g L-1 and glucose 5.73 g L-1 ;

103.0 g EtOH/kg dry weight (Saccharomyces cerevisiae).

Acknowledgements

Reform and Development Commission of Shenzhen

Municipal Government (China);

Natural National Science Foundation of China;

Hawaii Marine Renewable Energy Test Center-USDOE;

“985” Supporting Funds from Department of

Education (Tianjin University, China);

Designated Marine Industrial R&D Program of State

Oceanic Administration (China).

Thank You!