New Zealand has opened the world’s largest demonstration project for converting wastewater algae to biocrude oil.

Gerry Brownlee, energy minister, led on November 20 the opening of the project hosted by the Christchurch City Council at its wastewater treatment plant.

The project was carried out by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) and initially funded by the Foundation for Research Science and Technology.

The biocrude project combines NIWA’s scientific expertise on advanced wastewater treatment and algal production pond technology with Solray Energy’s biocrude oil conversion technology.

The Christchurch wastewater treatment plant has devoted 5 hectares from its 230 hectares of polishing ponds and developed them to produce high volumes of algae.

Algae collected are then transferred to Solray’s specially designed supercritical water reactor which then converts it to biocrude oil.

The resulting biocrude can then be refined to liquefied petroleum gas, petrol, kerosene and other oil-based products.

The production of biocrude from wastewater algae enables renewable fuel production combined with inexpensive, energy efficient wastewater treatment, nutrient renewal and the reduction of greenhouse gases.

The project aims to harvest between 150 tons to 300 tons of algae from which 45,000 liters to 90,000 liters, or 275 barrels to 550 barrels, of biocrude via Solray technology.

NIWA is a Crown-owned research and consultancy company that aims to conduct leading environmental science to enable the sustainable management of natural resources for New Zealand and the world.

Solray Energy is a joint venture combining the chemical engineering skills of Solvent Rescue and the mechanical engineering skills of Rayners.

-   Patricia Garcia