RESEARCH ARTICLES <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2016EF000486/full> Geoengineering, Marine Microalgae, and Climate Stabilization in the 21stCentury
Authors Charles H. Greene, Mark E. Huntley, Ian Archibald, Léda N. Gerber, Deborah L. Sills, Joe Granados, Colin M. Beal, Michael J. Walsh http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2016EF000486/epdf Accepted manuscript online: 1 March 2017 * KEY POINTS * Industrial microalgae cultivation offers many advantages to help society achieve its climate stabilization targets. * Microalgae‐derived biopetroleum products can contribute to mitigating and reversing effects of CO2 emissions. * Microalgae cultivation can play important indirect role in reducing CO2 emissions by displacing conventional agriculture. Abstract: Society has set ambitious targets for stabilizing mean global temperature. To attain these targets, it will have to reduce CO2 emissions to near zero by mid-century and subsequently remove CO2 from the atmosphere during the latter half of the century. There is a recognized need to develop technologies for CO2 removal; however, attempts to develop direct air-capture systems have faced both energetic and financial constraints. Recently, BioEnergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) has emerged as a leading candidate for removing CO2 from the atmosphere. However, BECCS can have negative consequences on land, nutrient, and water use as well as biodiversity and food production. Here, we describe an alternative approach based on the large-scale industrial production of marine microalgae. When cultivated with proper attention to power, carbon, and nutrient sources, microalgae can be processed to produce a variety of biopetroleum products, including carbon-neutral biofuels for the transportation sector and long-lived, potentially carbon-negative construction materials for the built environment. In addition to these direct roles in mitigating and potentially reversing the effects of fossil CO2 emissions, microalgae can also play an important indirect role. As microalgae exhibit much higher primary production rates than terrestrial plants, they require much less land area to produce an equivalent amount of bioenergy and/or food. On a global scale, the avoided emissions resulting from displacement of conventional agriculture may exceed the benefits of microalgae biofuels in achieving the climate stabilization goals. On Mar 6, 2017, at 12:10 PM, Andrew Lockley <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: Can you please send full paper to the list? On 18 Nov 2016 19:46, "Charles H. Greene" <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: Read attached and decide for yourself. This is in review in Crutzen + 10 issue of Earth’s Future. On Nov 18, 2016, at 4:49 AM, Andrew Lockley <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: Is that really geo On 18 Nov 2016 00:55, "Charles H. Greene" <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: Link: https://www.algaeconsortium.com/energy-food-and-climate-security-could-marine-microalgae-be-an-answer/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=email_this&utm_source=email -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "geoengineering" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/geoengineering. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
