Salinalgue

A biorefinery project based on microalgae

In a global context of resources scarcity and environment preservation, finding new options to fossil fuels is a big challenge. The Salinalgue project aims at cultivating a native microalgae (Dunaliella salina) at industrial scale in open ponds which are old salty lands.  Based on the biorefinery concept, biodiesel and others byproducts (as bioproducts…) will be produced  from microalgae.

The Salinalgue project has different goals:

  •  Open-ponds culture in extreme conditions
  • Use of CO2 gas from industrial exhaust pipes as input for the culture of microalgae
  • Use of wet extraction process: avoiding the energy-costing process of drying the biomass
  • Producing all by-products from the algae biomass.

Salinalgue project is lead by La Compagnie du Vent which works with industrial and institutionnal partners.

 The environmental approach is important and based on an environmental assessment all along the 4-year-project. One of the main goal is to design a sustainable way to produce biodiesel and other byproducts from microalgae.

The Life Cycle Assessment method assesses the environmental impacts of a product or a service. LCA allows to identify the hotspots where the process chain can be optimised, to compare different options and to keep a holistic point of view.

Salinalgue(2011-2014, funded by the French single interministerial fund) Bioenergy and other byproducts from microalgae culture in old salty lands.
Contact: Mélissa Cornelus, Arnaud Hélias