A feasibility study of large-scale photobiological hydrogen production utilizing mariculture-raised cyanobacteria.
In order to decrease CO(2) emissions from the burning of fossil fuels, the development of new renewable energy sources sufficiently large in quantity is essential. To meet this need, we propose large-scale H(2) production on the sea surface utilizing cyanobacteria. Although many of the relevant technologies are in the early stage of development, this chapter briefly examines the feasibility of such H(2) production, in order to illustrate that under certain conditions large-scale photobiological H(2) production can be viable. Assuming that solar energy is converted to H(2) at 1.2% efficiency, the future cost of H(2) can be estimated to be about 11 (pipelines) and 26.4 (compression and marine transportation) cents kWh(-1), respectively.
Sakurai
Hidehiro
H
Research Institute for Photobiological Hydrogen Production, Kanagawa University, 2946 Tsuchiya, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1293, Kanagawa, Japan. sakurai@waseda.jp
Masukawa
Hajime
H
Kitashima
Masaharu
M
Inoue
Kazuhito
K
D056804:Biofuels / Q000191:economics*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D003246:Conservation of Energy Resources; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000502:physiology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005579:Fossil Fuels; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D006864:Hydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D009591:Nitrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D018462:Photobiology; D012993:Solar Energy
D056804:Biofuels; D005579:Fossil Fuels; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D006859:Hydrogen; D006864:Hydrogenase; D009591:Nitrogenase