Algae For Ethanol Table of Contents 

 

Table of Contents

Legal 1  

Acknowledgments . 2 

Table of Contents . 3 

Introduction . 7 

How to use this eBook . 9 

What is Ethanol? . 10 

History of Ethanol 11 

Ethanol myths . 13 

Size and Structure of the US Ethanol Industry . 20 

How Ethanol is Used . 21 

Why Use Algae to Produce Ethanol? . 22 

Ethanol around the world . 24 

Products distilled from ethanol 26 

Denatured alcohol 26 

Absolute ethanol 26 

Rectified spirits . 26 

The Future of ethanol 27 

US Algae Market Potential 29 

Market Outlook . 30 

Part 2 Production Overview .. 35 

What is a bio-refinery? . 37 

Basic algae ethanol production . 38 

Algae Based Ethanol Feed Stocks . 39 

Algae Based Ethanol Feed Stocks . 40 

Sargassum .. 41 

Glacilaria . 43 

Prymnesium parvum .. 45 

Euglena gracilis . 46 

Spirogyra . 47 

Scenedesmus dimorphus . 48 

Chlorella pyrenoldosa and vulgaris . 49 

Where to obtain ethanol algae feedstock . 50 

Growing Algae for Ethanol 52 

Strain Selection . 53 

Cultivation . 55 

Open Ponds . 56 

Closed Ponds . 56 

Enclosed Photo bioreactors . 57 

Scale-Up Challenges . 60 

Other feed stocks that can be used . 61 

Sugar Crops . 63 

Sugarcane . 63 

Sugar Beets . 64 

Sweet  Sorghum .. 64 

Jerusalem Artichokes. 65 

Fodder Beets . 65 

Fruit Crops . 66 

Starch Crops . 66 

Grains . 67 

Tubers . 67 

Agricultural Residue . 68 

Forage Crops . 68 

Building or Buying a Home Ethanol Still 80 

Still Plans: 81 

Still Kits . 82 

Professionally Built Stills . 84 

Market Opportunities . 87 

Co-production . 89 

Site and Climate Considerations . 95 

Climate . 96 

Water Requirements . 99 

Productivity and Costs . 102 

Dry Milling . 138 

Wet Milling . 138 

Fermentation . 139 

Yeast Strains . 140 

Nutritional Requirements . 140 

Sugar Concentration . 141 

Distillation . 141 

What Is a Biorefinery? . 144 

Conceptual Biorefinery . 144 

The Decision to Produce Ethanol 145 

Benefits . 145 

Markets and Uses . 146 

Market Assessment . 149 

Production Potential 150 

Financial Requirements . 152 

Financing . 152 

Financial requirements . 153 

Analysis of Financial Requirements . 154 

Organizational form .. 154 

Decision Process . 156 

Organizational Form ... 156 

Plant Design . 159 

Overall Plant Considerations . 159 

Individual System Considerations . 164 

Process Control 173 

Representative Ethanol Plant . 178 

Small/Farm scale equipment suppliers . 194 

Commercial Business Planning . 202 

Permit information . 202 

Water Pollution Controls and Permits . 204 

Overview of Federal and State Polices That Support Ethanol 206 

CONVERSION FACTORS . 223 

Glossary . 224