plastic
ALL of their evidence relies on one study, and they glorify it results. This is their card,
there are several important things they didn’t read: a. the test was tiny—just a few
tubes in one harbor, b. it was tested with trained animals, c. mammals tried to break
and manipulate the tubes, and d. the plastics are easily breakable, especially after
weather
Trent et al 14 - PhD in biological oceanography at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, leads the OMEGA program at
NASA (Jonathan, “ Interactions of marine mammals and birds with offshore membrane enclosures for growing algae (OMEGA)”,
7th Space Interactive, 5-20-14,
http://7thspace.com/headlines/461068/interactions_of_marine_mammals_and_birds_with_offshore_membrane_enclosures_f
or_growing_algae_omega.html)//KG
OMEGA is an integrated aquatic system to produce biofuels, treat and recycle wastewater, capture CO2, and expand aquaculture production.
This system includes floating photobioreactors (PBRs) that will cover hundreds of hectares in marine bays. To assess the interactions of marine
mammals and birds with PBRs, 9
x 1.3 m flat panel and 9.5 x 0.2 m tubular PBRs were deployed in a harbor and
monitored day and night from October 10, 2011 to Janurary 22, 2012 using infrared video. To observe interactions with
pinnipeds, two trained sea lions (Zalophus californianus) and one trained harbor seal (Phoca vitulina
richardii) were observed and directed to interact with PBRs in tanks. To determine the forces required to puncture
PBR plastic and the effects of weathering, Instron measurements were made with a sea otter (Enhydra lutris) tooth and bird beaks. Results: A
total of 1,445 interactions of marine mammals and birds with PBRs were observed in the 2,424 hours of video recorded. The 95 marine
mammal interactions, 94 by sea otters and one by a sea lion had average durations of three minutes (max 44 min) and represented about 1% of
total recording time. The 1,350 bird interactions, primarily coots (Fulica americana) and gulls (Larus occidentalis and L. californicus) had average
durations of seven minutes (max. 170) and represented 5% of recording time. Interactive
behaviors were characterized as
passive (feeding, walking, resting, grooming, and social activity) or proactive (biting, pecking,
investigating, and unspecified manipulating). Mammal interactions were predominantly proactive,
whereas birds were passive. All interactions occurred primarily during the day. Ninety-six percent of otter interactions occurred in Winter,
whereas 73% of bird interactions in Fall, correlating to their abundance in the harbor. Trained pinnipeds followed most commands to bite, drag,
and haul-out onto PBRs, made no overt undirected interactions with the PBRs, but showed avoidance behavior to PBR tethers. Instron
measurements indicated that sea-otter teeth
and gull beaks can penetrate weathered plastic more easily than
new plastic. Published data suggest that otter bites may penetrate plastics, but pecking forces are not sufficient to
do so. Conclusions: Otter and bird interactions with experimental PBRs were benign. Large-scale OMEGA systems are predicted
to have both positive and negative environmental consequences.
Their card is from a biased source—Trent from NASA, who’s heading the project and is
committed to promoting it. But, he concedes that there are still problems, it is not yet
established, and it is not meant for the open ocean yet
Schwartz 11 - Editor/Publisher and co-founder of Algae Industry Magazine.com, BS in Industrial Engineering from Purdue
University, and an MBA from Indiana University, currently involved in post-graduate work within the Algae Biofuels program at
Santa Fe Community College (David, this evidence internally quotes Dr. Jonathan Trent, PhD in biological oceanography at
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, leads the OMEGA program at NASA, “NASA’s OMEGA Scientist Dr. Jonathan Trent”,
Algae Industry Magazine.com, 8-21-11, http://www.algaeindustrymagazine.com/nasas-omega-scientist-dr-jonathan-trent/)
What are the
biggest obstacles you’ve been dealing with in getting the OMEGA system into full deployment? I think that there are
four major areas with formidable hurdles some of which apply to all algae systems and some of which
are particularly true for OMEGA because it’s not an established technology. Those four “obstacle” areas
(in no specific order of importance) are: Biology, which includes finding the right strains of algae that
grow well in wastewater and form a stable community. For OMEGA, they also have to die in seawater.
Engineering, which is a problem in the OMEGA system because the marine environment is daunting
both in terms of materials and corrosion as well as strength and longevity with 5, 10, and 100 year
storms. This depends on where you are, but even in places like the North Sea there is some pretty amazing engineering going on to pursue oil
in deep water. In addition to deepwater oil drilling platforms, there are plans for large floating airports and even floating cities, being developed
in Holland to anticipate sea level rise.
I somehow think our engineering ingenuity is up to the challenge of
developing OMEGA systems at least in protected bays for now, in the new bays that will form in the
future with sea-level rise, and maybe someday in the open ocean. Economics, the OMEGA project itself
is facing an economic crisis of sorts because we are going to run out of money at the end of this calendar year and we are looking
for funding for our next Phase, but that’s not relevant to the overarching economic challenge. In general, the economics of largescale algae cultivation for a commodity like biofuel, is considered a major issue. I would argue that the economics
of an OMEGA system will be based on the integrated system of both products and services. The products include algae biofuels, biogas,
fertilizer, and aquaculture harvests. The services include wastewater treatment and carbon sequestration and to some degree environmental
remediation, if OMEGA can be used like the “turf scrubber” system. Environmental obstacles,
which have environmental
impact and social components. The marine component is how OMEGA impacts the local marine
environment. The fact that it’s going to clean up wastewater outfalls is a positive impact, but there are
open questions about marine mammals and sea birds, and shading the local eco systems. I think the overall
impact will be positive, but that remains to be determined. The “social environment” component involves obtaining
permits, and jurisdiction, and competition for space with stakeholders like shipping companies,
fishermen, and recreational boaters. All these issues depend on where we are and how sensitive we are to the conditions in the
marine environment.
Plastic pollution is an immense problem and the best way to stop it is to not put it in
the ocean in the first place
NRDC 14 (Natural Resources Defense Center, 3/8/14, “Solutions to Plastic Pollution in our Oceans”,
http://www.nrdc.org/oceans/plastic-ocean/)
The Basics We're
treating the oceans like a trash bin: around 80 percent of marine litter originates on land, and most of that is
plastic. Plastic that pollutes our oceans and waterways has severe impacts on our environment and our
economy. Seabirds, whales, sea turtles and other marine life are eating marine plastic pollution and
dying from choking, intestinal blockage and starvation. Scientists are investigating the long-term impacts
of toxic pollutants absorbed, transported, and consumed by fish and other marine life, including the
potential effects on human health. Read more » What it Means to You Plastic pollution affects every waterway,
sea and ocean in the world. When we damage our water systems, we're putting our own well-being at
risk. This pollution also has huge costs for taxpayers and local governments that must clean this trash off
of beaches and streets to protect public health, prevent flooding from trash-blocked storm drains, and
avoid lost tourism revenue from filthy beaches. NRDC analyzed a survey of 95 California communities and found their total
reported annual costs for preventing litter from becoming pollution is $428 million per year. See NRDC's Waste in Our Waterways: Unveiling the
Hidden Costs to Californians of Litter Cleanup.
Solutions The most effective way to stop plastic pollution in our
oceans is to make sure it never reaches the water in the first place. We all need to do our fair share to
stop plastic pollution: individuals need to recycle and never litter, but producers of single use plastic packaging need to do more too.
We need producers to design packaging so that it is fully recyclable, and so there is less waste. We also need producers to help cover the costs
of keeping their products out of the ocean.
Algae produced in PBRs, like they specify, requires excessive energy—a better form of
algae would be Raceway ponds
Slade, no date (Raphael Slade and Ausilio Bauen: Imperial Centre for Energy Policy and Technology, Centre for
Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, “Micro-algae cultivation for biofuels: cost, energy balance, environmental
impacts and future prospects”, https://spiral.imperial.ac.uk/bitstream/10044/1/11762/2/Microalgae%20cultivation%20for%20biofuels_Slade_2013.pdf)
Despite these shortcomings, and bearing in mind the concerns voiced by stakeholders about the extent to which the existing LCA can be
The energy balance for algal biomass production
(in a simplistic system considering only the production, harvesting and oil extraction stages) shows that
energy inputs to algae production systems could be high. This may limit their value as a source of Page 10 of 28
considered representative, this examination of
energy and indicates that
Raceway Pond systems demonstrate a more attractive energy balance than PBR systems (it should also be
borne in
Algae production requires a number of energy
demanding processes. However, within the LCA studies considered here there is no consistent hierarchy of energy consumption.
Aspects that will need to be addressed in a viable commercial system include: energy required for
pumping, the embodied energy required for construction, the embodied energy in fertilizer, and the
energy required for drying and de-watering If inputs of energy and nutrients are carbon intensive the
carbon emissions from algae biomass produced in raceway ponds could be comparable to the emissions
from conventional biodiesel; the corresponding emissions from algae biomass produced in PBRs may
exceed the emissions from conventional fossil diesel. The principle reason for this is the electricity used
to pump the algal broth around the system. Using co-products to generate electricity is one strategy
that might improve the overall carbon balance. 3. Environmental impacts and constraints Large scale micro-algae
production could have a wide variety of environmental impacts beyond the consumption of energy in
the production process. Many of these impacts could constrain system design and operation. The impacts
presented here are the ones most prominent in the existing literature, and identified as important in discussion with stakeholders.
PBRs will be made of PVC which degrades easily after being in the ocean under the
sun.
Balmant et al 12 (C.A. D’Aquino, W. Balmant, R.L.L. Ribeiro, M. Munaro, J.V.C. Vargas, S.C. Amico, El Sevier,
Polymer testing journal, March 9, 2012, “A simplified mathematical model to predict PVC photodegradation in
Photobioreactors”, http://www.ufrgs.br/lapol/a_simplified.pdf)
Photobioreactors are systems that offer better control over microalgae cultivation conditions and
growth parameters than open ponds. Closed reactors are made of glass or plastic to allow for outdoor sunlight
exposure for photosynthesis, allowing cost reduction of microalgae production and, consequently, their products. The materials
used in the photobioreactor construction must be nontoxic, show high transparency, high mechanical
strength and durability, chemical stability and low cost. Because of this, the most commonly used
materials are acrylic, polycarbonate, low-density polyethylene and crystal PVC (poly(vynil chloride)). PVC presents the
advantage of low cost, long-term stability and flame resistance in comparison to other commodity
plastics, and its mechanical properties may be controlled by varying the amount of plasticizer. The
selection of any polymer for this application is highly dependent on the maintenance of the optical and
mechanical properties after long periods of sun exposure. In outdoor applications, polymers degrade
because of a combination of several environmental factors (especially sunlight intensity, temperature
and humidity), and the rate of degradation varies according to the polymer structure and formulation,
and the production process. PVC in particular may contain structural defects caused by its processing,
resulting in the dehydrochlorination process, whose reaction steps are depicted in Fig 1. The defects in the PVC
molecules (e.g. long and short chain branches, terminal and internal unsaturation, unusual end groups,
both initiator and emulsifier residues) make the molecules absorb wavelengths in the UV region which
cause its photodegradation, resulting in a yellowness effect.
solvency
An optimistic estimate of the amount space to displace oil is huge – their author Trent
12 After earning his Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California at San Diego, Jonathan Trent spent six years
in Europe at the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry in Germany, the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, and the University of Paris at Orsay in France. Energy
Research and Development Division FINAL PROJECT REPORT. “OFFSHORE MEMBRANE ENCLOSURES FOR GROWING ALGAE (OMEGA) A Feasibility Study for
Wasterwater to Biofuels.” {http://www.energy.ca.gov/2013publications/CEC-500-2013-143/CEC-500-2013-143.pdf} Thu, July 24, 14.
It appears that the
only rational answer to the question of how to make the massive amounts of biofuels
needed to displace significant amounts of fossil fuels without competing with agriculture will be to: 1)
use microalgae as the feedstock, 2) grow the microalgae on wastewater, and 3) locate the cultivation
systems offshore in the vicinity of existing wastewater outfalls. Even this will only begin to address global needs for liquid fuels.
Predictions for algal biodiesel production are between 2,000 and 5,000 gal/acre/yr, while the average oil well in the USA yields 144,000 gal/well/yr. This means
the world’s current usage of oil will require nearly
10 million of these oil wells; an area roughly the size of France and Spain, assuming an optimistic 5,000
gal/acre/yr. ¶ The feasibility of such an offshore system globally distribute will depend on overcoming local challenges inherent in algae cultivation, engineering
between 30 and 70 acres of algae will be needed to equal a single average oil well and
offshore systems, and mitigating environmental and political problems. Though these challenges are daunting, there are many incentives to proceed, not the least of
which are the accelerating rates of social and environmental change, precipitated by population growth, resource limitations and allocations, and the escalating use of
fossil fuels. Is this possible? ¶ If people were sufficiently motivated progress could be made with economic drivers based primarily on wastewater treatment and
aquaculture. In the long-term, there will be other drivers due to sea-level rise that will flood coastal lowlands, providing additional OMEGA sites that can be integrated
into restructured coastal cities.
Trent-12 All in context of California project feasibility
Trent 12 After earning his Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California at San Diego, Jonathan Trent
spent six years in Europe at the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry in Germany, the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, and the University of Paris at Orsay in
France. Energy Research and Development Division FINAL PROJECT REPORT. “OFFSHORE MEMBRANE ENCLOSURES FOR GROWING ALGAE (OMEGA) A Feasibility
Study for Wasterwater to Biofuels.” {http://www.energy.ca.gov/2013publications/CEC-500-2013-143/CEC-500-2013-143.pdf} Thu, July 24, 14.
OMEGA was an algae-cultivation system that relied on wastewater for nutrients to grow algae and
seawater for temperature control, containment, and forward osmosis (FO). OMEGA could grow any desired strain,
species, or community of freshwater algae that could utilize wastewater and cope with local ocean temperatures but that cannot thrive in
saltwater. Within these constraints the OMEGA system could be used for any product or co-product associated with algae farming. ¶ There
were no general barriers to installing OMEGA systems provided there was access to salt water in a naturally or artificially protected bay,
wastewater, sunshine, and the large quantities of relatively inexpensive materials needed for OMEGA construction such as plastic, pipes, valves,
and moorings. The relevant engineering and fabrication skills were borrowed from the fields of marine engineering, plastics, aquaculture,
wastewater treatment, and oil refining. The local requirements were a source of wastewater discharge into the ocean and a nearby source of
CO2, such as a near-shore power plant. The OMEGA system provided advanced wastewater treatment and quantifiable capture of CO2, in
addition to the algae products described above. ¶ Specific barriers included restricted access to coastal zones due to lengthy and expensive
permitting processes and expensive logistics for obtaining the wastewater effluent and CO2 required for algae growth. Ultimately, rising sea
level inundating coastal cities and low-lands may help motivate and facilitate the development of OMEGA systems. ¶ 5 ¶ Project Benefits ¶
This project demonstrated that the OMEGA system has potential for growing algae species that could be used for biofuels and that the system
could treat wastewater. Biofuels
can play a role in lessening California’s dependence on fossil fuels, which will
help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change as well as other emissions
that cause air pollution.
OMEGA Solvency only comes when integrating wastewater treatment, solar, wind,
and other economic leverages needed to become viable – requires more political
flexibility
Trent 12 After earning his Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California at San Diego, Jonathan Trent
spent six years in Europe at the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry in Germany, the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, and the University of Paris at Orsay in
France. Energy Research and Development Division FINAL PROJECT REPORT. “OFFSHORE MEMBRANE ENCLOSURES FOR GROWING ALGAE (OMEGA) A Feasibility
Study for Wasterwater to Biofuels.” {http://www.energy.ca.gov/2013publications/CEC-500-2013-143/CEC-500-2013-143.pdf} Thu, July 24, 14.
It appears that at least for
coastal cities, the most plausible answer to the question of how to make the
massive amounts of biofuels needed to displace significant quantities of fossil fuels without competing
with agriculture will be to 1) use microalgae as the feedstock, 2) grow the microalgae on domestic
wastewater, and 3) locate the cultivation system offshore in the vicinity of existing wastewater outfalls.
The feasibility of an enormous offshore algae cultivation system will depend on overcoming major challenges inherent in algae cultivation, in
finding appropriate sites and engineering offshore systems that can cope with extreme conditions at these sites, and in many countries,
navigating the environmental and political bureaucracies, which may pose the greatest difficulty in testing the new technology. It is well
established that the economic challenges for biofuels are daunting if not impossible to overcome. The
OMEGA system addresses
the economic challenge by integrating into the same offshore platform biofuels production, wastewater
treatment, solar, wind, and wave-energy generation, as well as aquaculture.
Ultimately, rising sea level inundating coastal cities may help motivate the development of OMEGA
systems as these cities are redesigned for sustainability.
Current OMEGA cannot support large scale projects
Wiley 12 Edward Wiley has a Ph.D., City University of New York, 1976 in Systematics and Ichthyology. A dissertation submitted in partial
satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy. “Microalgae Cultivation using Offshore Membrane Enclosures for Growing
Algae (OMEGA).” { http://escholarship.org/uc/item/0586c8p5#page-70} Thu, July 31, 14
OMEGA has the potential of co-locating microalgae cultivation with wastewater treatment to produce a biofuel feedstock that does not
compete with agriculture for water, fertilizer, or land (31). This work provides credibility to the OMEGA approach, as the prototype system had
an overall areal productivity of 14.1 g m-2 day-1, with peaks above 20 g m-2 day-1, which is consistent with reported U.S. average microalgae
productivity of 13.2 g m-2 day-1 (32). Additionally, the microalgae consistently removed >90% of the ammonia from the secondary-treated FPE,
suggesting that a scaled-up system could also provide effective wastewater treatment services.¶ Many
open questions remain with
regard to the feasibility of large-scale OMEGA systems. The small-scale prototype OMEGA systems were
intended for experimentation and were not designed for energy efficiency or economical scale up. For
large-scale OMEGA deployment dense configurations of PBRs, improved hydrodynamics, optimized pumping and
mixing, more sophisticated process control algorithms and effective harvesting protocols will be needed
to increase yields, improve the energy return on investment, and lower operating costs. Advances
forward osmosis (FO) membrane technology and PBR manufacturing are needed to fully ingrate FO into
OMEGA modules and ensure reliable operation. In addition, questions about the impact of biofouling,
concerns about engineering systems that can cope with marine environments and issues around both
environmental impact and environmental regulations will need to be answered. It remains to be seen if the need for
sustainable biofuels will drive the innovation necessary to address these questions to develop large-scale OMEGA systems.
[Note: Biofouling is the formation of an organic coating on the exposed surface, (2) microfouling with
colonies of bacteria, cyanobacteria, protists, diatoms, and other unicellular algae, and (3) macrofouling
with filamentous cyanobacteria, multicellular algae, and invertebrates]
Biofouling bad
Wiley 12 Edward Wiley has a Ph.D., City University of New York, 1976 in Systematics and Ichthyology. A dissertation submitted in partial
satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy. “Microalgae Cultivation using Offshore Membrane Enclosures for Growing
Algae (OMEGA).” { http://escholarship.org/uc/item/0586c8p5#page-70} Thu, July 31, 14
Any full-scale OMEGA deployment must have means to control marine biofouling, which refers to the
undesirable accumulation of organisms on submerged surfaces (1-3). Development of a biofouling film begins almost immediately with the
adsorption of organic material onto newly immersed surfaces, which increases in density and complexity over time (1, 4). Biofouling
is
problematic for OMEGA because it will add bulk and increase drag on the PBR modules, which may
compromise their structural integrity (1, 5). Furthermore, biofouling on OMEGA PBRs will limit
transmittance of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and suppress rates of microalgal
photosynthesis. This presents economic challenges as it will decrease microalgal biomass yields, dampen
the performance of OMEGA as a wastewater nutrient recovery process and elevates the operation and
maintenance costs of the OMEGA system. To assess the impact of biofouling on the performance of
OMEGA, CO2 consumption, serving as a proxy for photosynthetic activity of microalgae cultivated in a
biofouled and clean PBR were compared.
Other techs needed to make global, not just OMEGA
Wiley et al. 10 Patrick E. Wiley has a Ph.D., City University of New York, 1976 in Systematics and Ichthyology. Water Environment
Research, Volume 83, Number 4, April 2011, pp. 326-338(13). “Production of Biodiesel and Biogas from Algae: A Review of Process Train Options.”
{http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/wef/wer/2011/00000083/00000004/art00004.} Thu, July 31, 14
The lower density of algal biomass present in wastewater ponds systems suggests that anaerobic
digestion is the most appropriate energy pathway. As these systems produce less biomass than raceway
ponds and PBR systems, it is unlikely that wastewater ponds will be used for large-scale algae
cultivation. Instead, these systems represent a low-technology, community-scale approach to algal
biofuels. Raceway ponds appear more cost-effective than PBR systems for industrial-scale algae cultivation. However, the NASA OMEGA process may be less
expensive than traditional PBR systems, as a result of fewer infrastructure needs for mixing, cooling, and degassing. The use of wastewater effluent as a cultivation
broth in mass cultivation operations is advantageous, because it releases fewer GHG emissions than synthetically prepared media. Anaerobic digestion of massproduced algae requires less processing than algal biodiesel and could be a more energetically favorable pathway. Large-scale production of algal biodiesel remains
energy-intensive and expensive, as a result of harvesting procedures and lipid extraction/transesterification pro- cedures. However, these energy demands may be
partially offset, if electricity is produced by anaerobic digestion of algal waste residuals following biodiesel processing. The CO2 removed during biogas scrubbing
can be injected to the cultivation broth to stimulate algal growth. Both
industrial-scale and appropriate technology approaches
to algal biofuels face technical obstacles throughout the process train. Based on the assessment, the
following knowledge gaps and research needs have been identified:¶ (1) Presently, lipid accumulation and biomass
productivity appear to be mutually exclusive. Development of cultivation systems capable of generating large quantities
of lipid-rich algal biomass is necessary to improve the economic viability of algal biodiesel.¶ (2) If genetic
engineering is used to enhance lipid productivity, concentrated research on the biosynthesis of algal lipids is needed to
effectively manipulate these mechanisms.¶ (3) Anaerobic digestion of algal biomass generated during wastewater treatment processes
represents an appropriate technology approach to algal biofuels that can improve global health issues stemming from poor sanitation and indoor cooking systems.
An appropriate technology algal harvesting must be developed to bridge these technologies.¶ (4) Both primary
and secondary harvesting procedures are energy-intensive and expensive. Improving this aspect of algal processing will reduce costs associated with biogas and
biodiesel production.¶ (5) Detailed LCAs for algal biogas and biodiesel production are needed to determine which biofuel pathway is most favorable, with respect to
GHG emissions and net energy yields.¶ (6)
Development of more efficient and environmentally friendly lipid
extraction/transesterification processes are needed to improve the sustainability of algal biodiesel.
Wastewater increases risk of virus spreading
Carney et al. 14 Laura T. Carney Systems Biology, Sandia National Laboratories, Sigrid S. Reinsch
¶ NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Pamela D. Lane ¶ Systems
Biology, Sandia National Laboratories, Owen D. Solberg ¶ Systems Biology, Sandia National Laboratories, Lara S. Jansen ¶ Systems Biology, Sandia National Laboratories, Kelly P. Williams ¶
J
Systems Biology, Sandia National Laboratories, onathan D. Trent ¶ NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field. Algal Research Volume 4, April 2014, Pages 52–61. “Microbiome analysis of a
microalgal mass culture growing in municipal wastewater in a prototype OMEGA photobioreactor.” {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211926413000994.} Thu, July 31, 14
Conditions in a prototype OMEGA system, including temperature, pH, DO, optical density, fluorescence, CO2, and nutrient
concentrations, were monitored over a 13-day period and compared to a detailed analysis of microbial
diversity and dynamics using second generation sequencing (SGS). By analyzing sequences of millions of amplified gene
fragments, microbiome analysis provided a comprehensive view of microbial diversity, including low-abundance species and bacteria, which
cannot easily be characterized in detail by conventional methods or microscopy. The SGS method used here had the advantage over probe or
primer based methods, such as PCR or microarrays, of not requiring advanced knowledge of the organisms present. Further, by multiplexing
samples a single SGS MiSeq system can be highly efficient.¶ Combining the conventional algae culture measurements of OD, fluorescence, and
nutrient utilization, the detailed information from SGS provides insights into the development of the culture. In the experiment described here
with OMEGA PBR, the conventional methods revealed three distinct culture conditions or periods. During the first period (days 1–5), the
microalgae proliferated; during the second period (days 5–10), the culture was in a relatively stable state with only transient decreases in
biomass; and the third period (days 10–13) was a time of microalgae decline (Fig. 2).¶ Superimposed on these apparent periods of rise, stability,
and decline of the algae culture, SGS analyses revealed dynamic microbial community structure. For
example, a few bacterial
genera dominated during the first three days of the culture and diversified after day 3 with organisms
capable of stimulating algal productivity (e.g., Rhizobium, Flavobacterium) as well as competitors, parasites, and pathogens (e.g.,
Bdellovibrio and Algoriphagus). Alveolates and grazers of algae, such as the heliozoan, Pterocystis, and
the chrysophytes, Poteriospumella and Paraphysomonas,. abundant from day 1 to day 3, were
supplanted by chytrid fungi after nutrient addition on day 5Although the relative abundance of alveolates was high
during the first phase of the culture it does not appear that they had a discernible effect on algal productivity. Chytrids, which were low in
abundance initially ( Fig. 5), spiked in abundance on days 6 and 7 and after day 10, coinciding with reductions in optical density and
fluorescence of the culture ( Fig. 2).
This increase in parasite load may have been responsible for ultimately
reducing algae productivity. It should be noted that the strategy of rRNA gene fragment sequencing used in this study could not
exclude viral contamination as a cause of this reduction.¶ In the process of characterizing the dynamics of a microbiome within a single cycle of
a closed algae cultivation system, we have demonstrated that microbiome analysis can be instrumental in determining the identity and relative
abundance of biological contaminants. We have shown that, in a case where pond or PBR performance is subpar or atypical, a retrospective
microbiome analysis of archived samples can reveal pond or PBR management strategies that are affecting the predator/pathogen load of the
system. With sufficient data correlating relative abundances of various species with PBR or pond performance, we can gain preliminary insight
into the potential role (both positive and negative) of the microbial community structure in pond stability or performance.¶ The sequencing
data sets that we have generated can inform the development of various types of specific detection systems. One could design specific PCR
primers based on the SSU rRNA gene variable regions of the species of interest to be used in conjunction with universal primers to obtain two
or more amplicons that together cover nearly the full length of the gene. With near complete SSU rRNA gene sequence information, a variety of
monitoring strategies become available to the pond operator. Perhaps the most commonly used monitoring system is quantitative PCR (qPCR).
This method has several advantages not the least of which is the potential for single cell detection and multiplexing of assays. With the
appropriate system it is possible to run thousands of such assays in one day. The potential limitations of qPCR include the initial cost of the
equipment (thermocycler) the expense of the reagents, the potential for false positives from contamination, and the possible presence of PCR
inhibitors in the sample. Assay costs can be reduced by multiplexing or commingling of the samples from multiple ponds for analysis.
Alternative detection strategies include non-amplification based systems such as the DNA microarray based phylochips [63] and [64].
Depending upon the number of unique probes printed on each chip, microarrays have the potential to be less expensive on a per assay basis.
However, microarrays, in general, cannot achieve the detection limit of PCR and, given the relatively small number of potentially deleterious
organisms identified in this study, the use of microarray-based systems is not warranted.¶ Engineering
solutions to the types of
contamination that we detected in our study may be somewhat limited. Once present in the culture,
physical exclusion or removal of contaminants would be very difficult to achieve, and source water
purification or sterilization at production culture scale would be cost prohibitive. However, the costs associated
with chemical interventions such as fungicides could be reduced by monitoring. Regular monitoring will allow the operator to target the use of
chemical agents where and when they are needed.¶ Ultimately, microbiome analysis, such as what we have demonstrated here, can inform the
development of specific probes, primers or biomarkers for both advantageous and deleterious species, which will allow rapid near real time
monitoring of production systems, tracking of organisms of interest, and the development of improved management practices.
Algal Funding is split between the DOD and DOE
Pienkos and Darzins 09 Dr Philip Pienkos is a Principal Research Supervisor in the Applied Biology Group at the National
Bioenergy Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Dr Al Darzins is a Principal Group Manager in the National Bioenergy Center at
the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Published in 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd | Biofuels, Bioprod. Bioref. “The promise and challenges
of microalgal-derived biofuels.” { http://www.afdc.energy.gov/pdfs/microalgal_biofuels_darzins.pdf.} Thu, July 31, 14.
Since the end of DoE’s ASP, funding
for algal research in general has been sparse and sporadic. Federal funding
for algal biofuels R&D is currently split between the Department of Defense (DoD) and DoE. Recent
initiatives, such as the two major Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) solicitations for
affordable alternatives to petroleum-derived JP-8 jet fuel, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research
(AFOSR) algal biojet program, DoE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and Office of
Fossil Energy Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) programs specifically targeting algal-derived
biofuels (2007/2008 awards and 2009 proposed topics) and the recent DoE announcement¶ on the
selection of two university-led algal biofuels projects suggest that funding levels are beginning to
increase.¶ State funding programs have also generated approximately $10 million for algal biofuels
research while a similar amount has been allocated over the past few years for research on algal biofuels at a number of US national labs
including the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), the National Energy Technology Laboratory
(NETL), Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).¶
Private investment to support algal biofuel commercialization comes from both the investment community and the petrochemical industry.
More than 150 small companies have been formed (mostly in the past two years) to participate in algal
biofuel commercialization. According to the numbers reported by the Cleantech Group
(http://cleantech.com), algae biofuels companies raised approximately $180 million through the first
nine months of 2008. With the recent announcement that approximately $850 million will be invested
to make ethanol from cyanobacteria,22 it is now estimated that more than $1 billion has been
committed by the private sector to develop algal-based fuels.¶
CP shell
CP Text: The USFG should amend the Clean Air Act to include algae-based biofuel in
the renewable fuel program and amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to include
algae-based biofuel in the cellulosic biofuel producer credit.
Current Legislation popular, but tax reform is better
Palmer 7/24 Mark M. Palmer President & CEO, Palmer Policy Group LLC. BioDiesal Magazine. “Tax Extenders: A Harbinger for Tax
Reform?.” {http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/articles/130270/tax-extenders-a-harbinger-for-tax-reform} Thu, July 31, 14.
On April 3, the Senate Committee on Finance moved legislation to the full body to extend expired tax
provisions (“extenders”). Included in the energy provisions section of that package was an extension of
incentives for biodiesel and renewable diesel. Specifically, the bill extends for two years the $1 per gallon tax credit for
biodiesel, and the small agri-biodiesel producer credit of 10 cents per gallon through 2015. The bill also extends through 2015 the $1 per gallon
tax credit for renewable diesel. The two-year extension is estimated to cost about $2.6 billion over the course of 10 years.¶ Unfortunately,
having nothing to do with the extenders legislation or biodiesel, the bill has been delayed over 2014
election year politics. Because of leadership on both sides of the aisle, and their unwillingness to make a
deal over amendments on other legislation, the fate of this bill, while wildly popular on its merits, having
achieved a 96-to-3 vote in May on a major procedural hurdle, may not make it to the president before
election day. ¶ Some have suggested once the November elections pass, this legislation will make its way through both the House and
Senate, and then to the president for his signature. As you can recall, this seems to be a pretty common pattern in Washington with respect to
extenders.¶ As
the extenders legislation lingers in Congress, one common question by many in industry has
been will Congress change the structure of the biodiesel tax credit from a blender to a producer credit?
The answer to that question would seem to be no.¶ With respect to extenders, Congress typically does not change the
structure of a tax credit. They rarely address major policy changes or shifts as they currently exist for
fear of opening a Pandora’s box. Generally speaking, they are clean extensions of existing statutes, only changing the date from
which they expire again.¶ However, to flip the aforementioned question on its head, perhaps the more appropriate question might be, does any
of this have any meaning for the makings of tax reform? The answer may be yes, for a few reasons.¶ 1.
If there are going to be
wholesale changes to the tax code, such as making the jump from a blender to a producer credit, tax
reform would be the most logical place to make that change.¶ 2. The Senate has a relatively new
chairman of the Finance Committee, Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and he has indicated on numerous occasions
he is seeking to change how tax credits are established. Providing young industries such as biodiesel
with uncertainty, having to deal with extenders annually is not good for the economy, and it’s not good
tax policy.¶ 3. In the House, we can expect to see a new Ways and Means Committee chairman emerge
as well. Might this hint at new ambition that may lead to a generation-changing tax code for the first
time since 1986?¶ 4. Deep into the president’s second term, ushering in a new Congress and having two
new tax-writing committee chairs, can the two sides of Pennsylvania Avenue reach a deal on broader
economic policy, and tax reform? If they do, the biodiesel industry and its stakeholders will most
definitely have to fight to ensure there is a biodiesel tax credit going forward. Because at that time,
everything will be on the table.¶ The bottom line is the U.S. needs tax reform that not only cleans up the code, but also provides the
American biodiesel industry with some certainty and predictability. The fact is that the biodiesel industry, in the almost 10 years since achieving
its first-ever tax credit, has experienced this credit expiring three times. This does little to assure producers, blenders, farmers and other
stakeholders the needed assurance to build and sustain an industry.
PTX
OMEGA Solvency only comes when integrating wastewater treatment, solar, wind,
and other economic leverages needed to become viable – requires more political
flexibility
Trent 12 After earning his Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California at San Diego, Jonathan Trent
spent six years in Europe at the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry in Germany, the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, and the University of Paris at Orsay in
France. Energy Research and Development Division FINAL PROJECT REPORT. “OFFSHORE MEMBRANE ENCLOSURES FOR GROWING ALGAE (OMEGA) A Feasibility
Study for Wasterwater to Biofuels.” {http://www.energy.ca.gov/2013publications/CEC-500-2013-143/CEC-500-2013-143.pdf} Thu, July 24, 14.
It appears that at least for
coastal cities, the most plausible answer to the question of how to make the
massive amounts of biofuels needed to displace significant quantities of fossil fuels without competing
with agriculture will be to 1) use microalgae as the feedstock, 2) grow the microalgae on domestic
wastewater, and 3) locate the cultivation system offshore in the vicinity of existing wastewater outfalls.
The feasibility of an enormous offshore algae cultivation system will depend on overcoming major challenges inherent in algae cultivation, in
finding appropriate sites and engineering offshore systems that can cope with extreme conditions at these sites, and in many countries,
navigating the environmental and political bureaucracies, which may pose the greatest difficulty in testing the new technology. It is well
established that the economic challenges for biofuels are daunting if not impossible to overcome. The
OMEGA system addresses
the economic challenge by integrating into the same offshore platform biofuels production, wastewater
treatment, solar, wind, and wave-energy generation, as well as aquaculture.
All are viewed as part of Obama’s war on Coal
Shughart 7/15 William F. Shughart is Research Director and Senior Fellow at The Independent Institute, the J. Fish Smith Professor in
Public Choice at Utah State University, and past president of the Southern Economic Association. Standard Examiner. “Coal and nuclear power
belong in Utah’s energy policy portfolio.” {http://www.standard.net/Guest-Commentary/2014/07/16/Coal-and-nuclear-power-belong-in-Utahs-energy-policy-portfolio.html.} Thu, July 31, 14
Now is the time for Utah to recognize the environmental benefits of using advanced coal-burning technologies and nuclear power to generate
electricity. Both are essential in any serious effort to reduce carbon emissions.¶ Coal and nuclear power have for decades kept the world’s lights
on and its factories operating. In recent years, though, coal and nuclear programs in the United States have labored under ever more
burdensome government regulations, while solar and wind technologies — the fair-haired children of environmental activists — have been
subsidized generously by the public sector.¶ Utah has followed Washington’s lead by adopting policies encouraging the use of so-called
renewable energy sources, going so far as to approve state tax credits for converting wind power and sunlight into electricity. But such
technologies supply only a small fraction (about 4 percent) of the electric power currently (pun intended) consumed nationwide. It is loony to
think that even heavily taxpayer-subsidized wind and solar power will displace coal and natural gas anytime soon.¶ The reality is that coal is
both abundant and affordable. It also is much more environmentally friendly than it once was owing to the development of new and more
efficient coal combustion technologies, such as the ultra-supercritical steam cycle and the integrated coal gasification combined cycle. Utah is in
an ideal position to exploit those technological advances and then market them globally.¶ Imagine the payback if carbon capture-and-storage
technologies or advanced methods of burning coal were demonstrated successfully at a coal plant here. Coal accounts for 40 percent of the
world’s electricity output. Helping other states and nations to use more efficient coal-combustion technologies not only serves the broader
interests of humanity, but also represents a potential financial windfall (pun again intended) for Utahans.¶ Yet the state’s politicians and
policymakers have chosen to go in the opposite direction. Perhaps a good excuse can be found in the
Obama administration’s
announcement of a “climate stabilization plan” (otherwise known as the president’s “war on coal”),
which envisions a future wherein most if not quite all of the nation’s energy needs are met by wind
farms, the sun, geothermal power, ocean waves, algae, plant materials and other renewable sources.¶
Never mind that coal and nuclear energy combined still provide 60 percent of the power transmitted over the nation’s electric grid. Never
mind that solar and wind together would account for far less than 4 percent of total in the absence of
government subsidies and tax breaks. Never mind that the sun and the wind provide power only on days
when the weather cooperates, and therefore can’t supply the country’s base-load electricity needs 24/7.
Consequently, expensive large-scale energy storage capacity and backup energy generators, such as gas-powered turbines, are required before
the president’s dream possibly can become reality.¶ Nuclear power is another viable option to coal. As the demand for electricity at home and
abroad grows, new nuclear plants are being built. Four reactors — two each in Georgia and South Carolina — are under construction, and two
others have been approved for construction in Florida. All of the reactors use an advanced “AP1000” design, in which a plant’s components are
built off-site in factories and then delivered for assembly. Worries that new nuclear plants cannot be built on time and on budget therefore are
fading.¶ A number of other countries, including China and Great Britain, likewise are building AP1000 reactors, using U.S. expertise. Why is Utah
behind the nuclear curve?¶ Promoting advanced coal-burning technologies and nuclear power is a better strategy for reducing carbon
emissions in Utah and the nation as a whole than subsidizing the manufacture and use of politically correct “green” energy sources (remember
Solyndra?).¶ Despite regulatory challenges, coal and nuclear aren’t going away. The need for both is stronger than ever and Utah can be a
leader instead of a follower along the path to a cheap, clean and more stable energy future.
Bio-fuels are perceived as part of Obama’s war on Coal.
Tracey 12 Ryan Tracy covers banking policy for The Wall Street Journal from the Washington, D.C. news bureau. He previously covered
energy and environmental issues for the Journal. The Washington Wire. “Lawmaker: Obama’s ‘All of the Above’ Energy Plan Skips ‘C’ for Coal.”
{http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2012/05/09/lawmaker-obamas-all-of-the-above-energy-plan-skips-c-for-coal/} Thu, July 31, 14
One of the coal industry’s top allies on Capitol Hill chastised President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign Wednesday for what he said was a
telling omission on the campaign website: A
page devoted to an “all of the above” energy strategy doesn’t mention
coal.¶ Associated Press House subcommittee on Energy and Power Chairman Rep. Ed Whitfield (R., Ky.) presides over a hearing on Feb. 9,
2011. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)¶ Rep. Ed Whitfield, the Kentucky Republican who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s
Subcommittee on Energy Power, pointed out that the section of the Obama campaign website entitled “All
of the Above: President
Obama’s approach to energy independence,” cites accomplishments to advance the use of oil, natural gas, fuel
efficiency, biofuels, wind, solar, and nuclear power.¶ “There’s one glaring absence and that has to be coal,”
Mr. Whitfield said at a hearing on electricity reliability rules. “Many of us get upset about that because it has a
tremendous economic impact on our country, it provides a lot of jobs, and it makes us competitive in
the global marketplace because coal is still a valuable resource.Ӧ An Obama campaign spokesman did not immediately
respond to a request for comment.¶ The Obama administration has passed or proposed several major environmental regulations regulating
water pollution from coal mining as well as air pollution from coal-fired power plants. Combined with increased use of cheap natural gas as a
fuel source, the rules are putting downward pressure on the demand for coal and the prospects for building new coal-fired power plants.¶ The
administration says the costs of the rules are outweighed by benefits including investment in pollution controls as well as fewer sick days and
asthma attacks. But that hasn’t stopped Republicans, including Mitt Romney, from seizing on them as examples of regulatory overreach.¶ The
omission on the president’s campaign website fed those criticisms. “To not even mention coal as an
important energy sector is unbelievable to me,” Mr. Whitfield said.
Republicans “fighting” war on coal
Cox 7/30 Reporter for The Hill's Floor Action Blog, covering the Senate. Washington, D.C.. The Hill. “McConnell: Obama’s war on coal
needs to be stopped.” {http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/213774-mcconnell-obamas-war-on-coal-needs-to-be-stopped.} Thu, July
31, 14.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch
McConnell (R-Ky.) vowed to “keep fighting back” against President Obama’s
energy regulations.¶ “The president’s extreme energy regulations are little more than a political-turnout
strategy masquerading as serious environmental policy,” McConnell said on the Senate floor Wednesday. “They need to be
stopped.¶ “We’re going to keep fighting back.”¶ McConnell has been critical of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed
regulation that would reduce carbon emissions of coal-fired power plants by 30 percent over 15 years. He
waging a “war on coal.”
has accused Obama of
USFG is urged to take steps to protect grid
Smith 7/6 Rabecca Smith is an energy reporter for the Wall Street Journal. The Wall Street Journal. “Grid Terror Attacks: U.S.
Government Is Urged to Take Steps for Protection.” {http://online.wsj.com/articles/grid-terror-attacks-u-s-government-is-urged-to-takes-stepsfor-protection-1404672802} Thu, July 31, 14
Two research groups urged the federal government to take action to protect the electric grid from
physical attacks, rather than leave security decisions in the hands of the utility industry.¶ The Congressional
Research Service recommended that Congress examine whether a national-level analysis of the grid's vulnerabilities is needed or if individual
power companies' internal security assessments are sufficient.¶ Separately, a
nonprofit research group said efforts proposed
by utilities to harden the grid fall short because they don't account for how one region might depend on
others. The report from the Battelle Memorial Institute, which operates six of the U.S. Energy Department's laboratories, said attacks could
occur across more than one electric system, destabilizing large areas.¶ The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is considering new safety
FERC, which regulates the nation's high-voltage
transmission system, told the industry in March that it must act to fortify the grid, after a series of
articles appeared in The Wall Street Journal detailing how susceptible the electric system is to attack.¶
The first article described an April 2013 armed attack on a substation near San Jose, Calif., which
threatened electricity supplies to Silicon Valley. Other articles pointed out that transformers are
especially vulnerable to damage and that an analysis by federal experts said an attack on as few as nine
critical substations could result in a nationwide blackout.¶ The Congressional Research Service, essentially a think tank for
regulations proposed by an industry-dominated electric power organization.
federal lawmakers, last month said there is widespread agreement among experts that high-voltage transformers—the most costly pieces of
equipment in electrical substations—are "vulnerable to terrorist attack, and that such an attack potentially could have catastrophic
consequences."¶ Attacks
could cause blackouts lasting weeks, or even months, because it is difficult to obtain
replacement transformers, the report said. Utilities keep relatively few spare transformers on hand because they can cost
millions of dollars apiece. Each transformer is custom-built for its location so units aren't easily swapped. Transformers are also heavy, often
weighing hundreds of tons, so are hard to move.¶ The rules proposed to FERC by the industry-controlled North American Electric Reliability
Corp. would require utilities to assess their own vulnerabilities and draft security plans for substations. But the proposal doesn't define the
threats against which utility assets should be protected, nor do they require any specific defenses, such as ballistic shields for transformers. The
rules would require third-party verification of assessments and security plans, although utilities would be allowed to perform that service for
each other.¶ NERC has said that its proposal gives utilities flexibility to respond to differing situations.¶ Jason Black, who wrote the Battelle
report, which was published in May, said a utility-by-utility assessment is a flawed approach.¶ It would be better to determine which U.S.
facilities are critical by looking across many utilities' systems, he said. A blackout in New York, for example, might require electricity to be
rerouted from the Midwest, making some substations in that region critical to the Empire State. But an insular assessment by an Ohio utility
might not identify the importance of certain locations to New York.¶ "Assessments to determine critical facilities would be more rigorous if
undertaken at a regional level," Mr. Black said.