University of Kentucky algal biofuels research hitting the ground in China

The University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research (CAER) is partnering with Lianhenghui Investment Co. to construct a five-acre algae production facility in Zhengzhou, China.

The facility will feature the centre’s novel photobioreactor technology for growing algae, which will be used for the production of fuels, nutraceuticals, and bioplastics.

Lianhenggui is also constructing a second, smaller facility in Zhengzhou, which will employ the same technology to grow algae for the production of nutraceuticals.

Microalgae have attracted considerable interest in recent years as a high-yield renewable feedstock for the production of fuels and chemicals.

In addition, algae have been proposed as a means to capture and utilise power plant emissions, as photosynthetic algae can use the CO₂ in flue gas as a carbon source.

CAER’s Algae and Biofuels group, led by Mark Crocker, is one of the worldwide leaders in microalgae research, specialising in photobioreactor design, construction and operation, integration with power plants, and algae cultivation, harvesting and dewatering.

The initial funding for the photobioreactor development was provided by the Kentucky Department for Energy Development and Independence, as part of a project to investigate the potential of algae for the capturing and recycling of power plant CO₂ emissions.

After years of research, the lab partnered with Duke Energy’s East Bend Station to install a photobioreactor at the site in late 2012.

Crocker said the new China project is "an exciting development” and the next phase of the team’s research.

"Getting to see our innovations go from the lab to practice at Duke Energy’s East Bend Station in Boone County, Kentucky, and now on to an international market is gratifying,” he said.

In June 2014, CAER licensed its photobioreactor technology to Lianhenghui.

Together, University of Kentucky and Lianhenghui have patented the first and second generation photobioreactor technology in China, and they are in the process of patenting the second generation.