| 초록 |
Microalgae have attracted a considerable interest as biodiesel feedstock owing to their outstanding lipid productivity. However, ‘biodiesel from microalgae’ has recently raised debates on its practical CO2 reduction because it requires complex downstream processes which generate additional CO2, thereby negating the net CO2 abatement. The presentation, therefore, suggests the reconsideration of direct combustion of microalgae as a practicable renewable fuel system. We emphasize the benefits of the microalgae-derived solid fuel with: (i) the solid-fuel-chain shows energetic advantages over conventional extraction-based liquefaction strategy and (ii) the dried biomass itself exhibits great performance as a solid fuel, even outdoing already commercialized woody fuel. Despite the promising properties, the use of microalgae as a solid fuel has been overlooked so far because it accompanies thorough dehydration process, being regarded as a primary driver of its prohibitively high price. Our assessment reveals that, however, the ‘harvesting-to-boiler’ energy consumptions can be immediately lowered to the commercially-available-levels if a preferably designed dehydration were exploited. |
