Microalgae production: technical and economic evaluations

A review of the various literature data for large-scale algae production costs is described. Costs were updated and recomputed in order to compare the different schemes. Total production costs of a nonprocessed biomass range from US$0.15 to US$4.0 kg(-1), according to various authors. Process performance hypotheses and proposed technologies are analyzed to explain these variations. A cost analysis for a tubular bioreactor system is then presented that shows that, assuming a productivity of 60 tons/ha yr, production costs would range from FF24 to FF29 kg(-1) for such a system. Operating costs as well as fixed charges account for approximately 50% of the cost. Parametric sensitivity of these costs is then analyzed: If productivity would be 30, 45, or 90 tons/ha yr, total cost would be around FF48, FF33 and FF19 kg(-1). Advantages and disadvantages of the proposed tubular technology are finally discussed.