The Future of Biodiesel

1B Independent Study
Nicole Cunanan

What I Already New

Theres a new up and coming form of fuel that has the potential to decrease air pollution
and possibly completely replace standard diesel, but no one is manufacturing it or using it. Why?
Thats what I was investigating in my research about algae biofuel/diesel. I had previously
learned basic information about this type of fuel in a different project, but I was intrigued by
biofuels potential to bring about major change in our environment and way of living. Biofuel
can be produced from a variety of substances, and can be present in many forms, but I mainly
focused on biodiesel, as this is the type of biofuel that has the greatest potential for use in
everyday life.
Algae being used as a biofuel is a new popular topic that is being investigated around the
world. Currently, the fuel and diesel being used all over the world is produced from mined oil.
Although this type of fuel is readily available and easy to use, it is also made of fossil fuels,
which means that it will eventually run out. Fortunately, a new type of fuel that could possibly
replace standard diesel is being produced by harvesting the oil from algae crops and refining it
into a type of diesel.
Not only will this new fuel help solve the issue of depleting oil resources, but it is also
help the environment in its production. Algae is a crop that can be grown in polluted
environments, so it could potentially clean surrounding water of its nitrogen and carbon from the
air. This could be extremely beneficial for the environment if the algae crops are grown near
pollution-rich areas like factories or power plants because it could eliminate the issue of
pollution around the world.
Through my research, I focused on my main question which was: Can biofuel be used as
a replacement for traditional fuel in todays society? To answer this question, I investigated three

other questions that focused on individual pieces of manufacturing and using biofuel. My first
two questions examined the cultivation and process associated with refining algae into a usable
diesel. Next, I studied the viability of algae biodiesel as a replacement for traditional diesel.
The Story of my Search
The first week of research began with a plan to investigate my first two questions, both of
which took an in-depth look into the manufacturing process of algae biodiesel. Originally, the
two questions, how is algae cultivated? and how is biofuel produced? were condensed into one
broad research question that explored the entire process of producing biodiesel in general.
However once I began researching the beginning of the process, I realized that this topic was too
large for me to answer in one post. So I divided the question into two more specific questions,
one focusing on the cultivation of the algae, and the other focusing on the processing and
refining of the oil from the algae. By researching the production of algae biofuel, I was also
researching the efficiency of producing biodiesel. This is an important aspect of biodiesel when
considering the viability of biofuel for everyday life because if it is not efficient to manufacture
this type of fuel, then it may not be a valid choice for a replacement for traditional diesel.
After researching the production of biodiesel, I investigated the actual practicality of
using biodiesel. Searching the real uses of biodiesel allowed me to see what types of engines
could function using biodiesel and how effective they were when under the use of biodiesel.
While I was researching the real uses of biodiesel, I also came across the environmental impacts
of using biodiesel. This is probably because the effects of burning different fuels in an engine
intended for standard diesel may affect the environment in a different way. Practically all the
sources I used when researching this question included some information about the
environmental benefits and drawbacks of using biodiesel in a diesel engine.

From my previous investigation about the cultivation of algae for biofuel processing, I
learned that growing algae can be beneficial to its surrounding environment because algae has
the ability to absorb harmful substances from the environment. I also learned a few facts about
the environmental effects of burning biodiesel from study of the real uses of biofuel. However, in
order to truly determine how worthwhile the manufacturing and use of biofuel would be in
everyday life, I had to examine how effective the cultivation of algae would be towards cleaning
the environment and the true environmental impacts of using biodiesel in everyday life.
Besides researching my specific topics through internet sources, I reached out to a
professional to get a different perspective on the topics I was investigating. In early June, I
emailed Mr. Mark White, the Associate Professor of Commerce at University of Virginia. At
first, I was skeptical of contacting Mr. White in particular because his focus did not seem to be in
my area of research. However, Mr. White had participated in a few research projects to model the
environmental and financial implications of biofuel in the real world. In one of those research
projects, in which he worked with several experts in algae cultivation and biofuel production,
Mr. Whites expertise was the environmental and economic impacts of producing and using the
biofuel. His research is a direct path towards the possible real-world use of biofuel, so I decided
that he would be the best expert to contact for my research. After a few days, Mr. White replied,
saying that he would be happy to participate in an interview with me. I have not yet received a
reply in regards to when he is available for the interview, so I can assume that unfortunately the
interview will not be conducted before my research is completed this year. However, I am
extremely interested in this topic and plan to investigate this subject further, therefore I will most
likely be conducting the phone interview over the summer.
What I Learned

From the first question I researched, I learned about the methods of cultivating algae and
what would be required if I was growing algae. The production of algae is a complex and lengthy
process, but the rewards for producing biofuel can potentially pay off in the future. Algae is the
perfect crop for producing biofuel because it has such a high biomass and oil content, which
means that more biofuel can be produced from the algae grown. The process begins by growing
and harvesting the algae, which is an extremely significant step because it is the first step that
determines the amount of oil that will be produced. Not only does the growing of algae
determine efficiency and productivity, but whether or not the growth of algae benefits the
environment depends on which method of cultivation is chosen.
First of all, There are two main methods for growing and cultivating algae: ponds or
photobioreactors. Growing algae using the pond method means that the algae is grown in lakes,
ponds, or any other natural bodies of water. The benefits of using the pond method for growing
algae are that the system is simpler and that they are cheap and easy to build and operate.
Unfortunately, there are many drawbacks to using the pond method, such as the lack of control of
resources (carbon dioxide, light, etc), higher risk for contamination, a larger required land area,
inefficiency, and lower biomass productivity.
The other option for growing algae is to use a photobioreactor, which is typically a closed,
controlled system that allows control over the conditions of the environment. Some benefits for
using the photobioreactor method are that it allows for control over the environmental, greater
amount of product, and a lower risk for contamination. Drawbacks of using the photobioreactor
method are that the system is extremely expensive, technical difficulties could decrease
efficiency, and that the productivity and efficiency of this system may not be much better than
the pond method.

My second questions focused on the processing of the algae after it has been cultivated.
After growing and harvesting the algae, the algae must go through extensive processing in order
to transform into the biofuel. First, the oils from the algae must be collected by using an oil
press, ultrasonic-assisted extraction, the hexane-solvent method, or the supercritical fluids
method. Then, the oils are processed and refined into biodiesel using a process called
transesterification. These steps also determine the amount of biofuel produced, because the
methods of harvesting oil yield different amounts of oil form the algae. Efficiency in producing
the biofuel is critical part of biofuel production because it justifies the use of biofuel over
standard diesel.
One option for harvesting the oil from the algae is through an oil press. An oil press is
almost exactly what it sounds like. The algae is mechanically crushed up to release the oils from
the cells. Usually, this method is used in conjunction with other methods to yield the maximum
amount of oil. The second option is the ultrasonic-assisted extraction method. Ultrasonic waves
created by an ultrasonic reactor create cavitation bubbles, which are vapor bubbles that form
under changes in pressure. When those bubbles implode, intense shockwaves and strong jets of
liquid are released, which in turn cause the cell walls of the surrounding algae cells to break and
release the oil inside.
The chemical methods of extracting oil include the hexane-solvent method or the
supercritical fluids method. The hexane-solvent option is a chemical method that is typically
used with the oil press method. After the algae has gone through the press, the pulp is mixed with
hexane to remove the remaining oil. Once the pulp is filtered out, the oil, which has dissolved
into the hexane, is separated from the hexane through distillation. Another chemical method is
the supercritical fluids method, which involves mixing the algae with a supercritical fluid. A

supercritical fluid is a substance that is liquid and gas, due to extreme pressurization and heating.
Once the supercritical fluid, which is typically carbon dioxide, is mixed with the algae, the algae
is completely converted into oil.
In general, mechanical methods of extraction such as the oil press and ultrasonic-assisted
extraction are less efficient than the chemical methods. The hexane solvent method, used after
the algae is processed through an oil press, yields a maximum of 95% of the total oil in algae, but
the ultrasonic-assisted extraction method is the fastest method to extract the oil. The supercritical
fluids method collects 100% of the total oil in the algae, but is more expensive due to the extra
equipment it requires.
The final step is transesterification, which can convert the harvested oils into its purest
diesel. After the oils have been collected, the oil must be refined through the process of
transesterification. The oils, or triglyceride, is mixed with alcohol in the presence of a catalyst,
typically a strong base. The reaction between the glycerine and the alcohol result in the
formation of the ester biodiesel and glycerol. Since the glycerol is more dense than the biodiesel,
the glycerol can be removed by means of separation by gravity or by a centrifuge, leaving behind
the refined biodiesel.
My third and final question investigated whether or not biodiesel could be used as a
possible substitute for traditional diesel. First I learned that there are several types of biofuels,
but the type that would be most easily used in everyday life would be biodiesel because it is
similar to traditional diesel. Typically biodiesel is blended with standard diesel to make it a
usable fuel for engines. Fortunately, biodiesel can be used as a substitute by blending it into
traditional diesel, or it could be a substitute after some treatment to the biodiesel has been done.
In addition I learned that burning algae biodiesel produces significantly less air pollution than the

burning of standard diesel. Unfortunately, biodiesel is extremely expensive which makes it a less
plausible option.
In regards to its effect on the environment, I learned that biodiesel can actually be quite
beneficial, in small ways and significant ways. Biodiesel has successfully completed the health
effects testing requirements of the Clean Air Act, making it the only alternative fuel option to do
so. Fewer unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and particulates are produced when
burning biodiesel, as opposed to burning standard diesel. Exhaust emissions are almost
nonexistent when burning biodiesel, which would significantly reduce the amount of acid rain
and pollution.
As I was answering this question, I was learning more about what needed to be done by
biodiesel users in order to use their biodiesel successfully. If a vehicle has a compression-ignition
(AKA diesel) engine, both standard diesel and biodiesel can be used interchangeably in the
vehicle. Biodiesel cannot be used in gasoline engines, however there are no changes that need to
be made to existing diesel engines to be able to use biodiesel in them.
The answer to the big question, Can biofuel be used as a replacement for traditional fuel
in todays society?, was answered by investigating these three subquestions. By understanding
the process by which the biodiesel is produced, I was able to gauge whether or not it would be
efficient or worth manufacturing for the masses. But as I learned more about the benefits of
burning biodiesel as opposed to standard diesel, I knew that biofuel could be a true replacement
for the standard fuel we use today.
Whats Next
I could definitely sense my growth as a researcher by the end of this research project. I
learned so many things about myself that could define where I would like to head in life or what

I would like to do in high school for my senior project, possibly. First, I learned that I am
extremely interested in the actual topic of biodiesel, especially when it comes to the
environmental aspect of it. I also learned that, although I typically hate research projects, my
research time will go by extremely quickly if Im genuinely interested in the topic of research.
Because I am so interested in this new topic, I am considering taking steps to get an even
more in-depth look at what the world of biofuel is. I will complete that interview with Mr. White,
despite the passing of the deadline of my I Search paper. I will also consider the possibility of
using the information Ive gathered in this research project and applying it to an end-product,
such as my senior project. There are many options for a senior project that could relate to
biodiesel, but I have been excited by the thought of actually cultivating my own algae and using
some do-it-yourself engineering and the chemical tools I have at school to process my algae to
produce homemade biodiesel.
References
1

Newman S. How algae biodiesel works: What makes biodiesel from algae so exciting?

[Internet] HowStuffWorks; 18 June 2008. Available from

http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/algae-biodiesel1.htm
2

Cultvation of algae in open ponds [Internet]. Oilgae. Available from

http://www.oilgae.com/algae/cult/op/op.html
3

Cultivation of algae in photobioreactor [Internet]. Oilgae. Available from

http://www.oilgae.com/algae/cult/pbr/pbr.html
4

Algae oil extraction [Internet]. Oilgae. Available from

http://www.oilgae.com/algae/oil/extract/extract.html

Extraction of algal oil by mechanical methods [Internet]. Oilgae. Available from

http://www.oilgae.com/algae/oil/extract/mec/mec.html
6

Extraction of algal oil by chemical methods [Internet]. Oilgae. Available from

http://www.oilgae.com/algae/oil/extract/che/che.html
7

Newman S. How algae biodiesel works: Algae biodiesel engineeringextracting oild

from algae [Internet]. HowStuffWorks; 18 June 2008. Available from

http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/algae-biodiesel2.htm
8

What is biodiesel [Internet]. ESRU. Available from

http://www.esru.strath.ac.uk/EandE/Web_sites/02-03/biofuels/what_biodiesel.htm
9

Can biofuels replace oil? [Internet]. Environmental Entrepreneurs. Available from

https://www.e2.org/jsp/controller?docId=6331&section=biofuels
10

McIntire J. Ethanol vs. biofuel: just the facts [Internet] Treehugger; 4 July 2006.

Available from http://www.treehugger.com/renewable-energy/ethanol-vs-biodiesel-just-thefacts.html

11

Frequently asked questions [Internet]. Pacific Biodiesel. Available from

http://www.biodiesel.com/biodiesel/faq/