Cost breakdown indicates that biochar production from microalgae in Central Europe requires innovative cultivation procedures

In most current academic thinking, the prevailing consensus underscores the potential of algae as a promising biochar feedstock. Nevertheless, a significant gap exists in the literature, as most assertions conducted outside tropical and subtropical regions lack substantiation through comprehensive a...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Josef Marousek, Beata Gavurova, Anna Marouskova
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Energy Nexus
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772427124000664
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Summary:In most current academic thinking, the prevailing consensus underscores the potential of algae as a promising biochar feedstock. Nevertheless, a significant gap exists in the literature, as most assertions conducted outside tropical and subtropical regions lack substantiation through comprehensive analyses on a comparison of the economic benefits and the costs associated with the application of algae biochar is mostly missing. This study reports a meticulous breakdown of production costs for algae biochar derived from 6 various cultivation systems via 2 harvesting techniques under the conditions characteristic of central Europe. The findings revealed that the production costs of the algae biochars always greater than 110 €.kg−1that is much higher than the selling prices of the most common biochars on the market including the most expensive biochars made of hard woods. To achieve social acceptability, it is recommended to prefer higher value-added applications for algae and to implement biochar production as the final stage of the refining process.
ISSN:2772-4271