Filipino delegates visit the University of Arizona for Microalgae Cultivation Workshop
In further strengthening the Philippines’ fuel production from biomass, five Filipino algal biofuel researchers went to the University of Arizona for a two-week workshop in designing cultivation systems for growing and collecting microalgae biomass. The team is composed of three representatives from De La Salle University and two representatives from the University of the Philippines Visayas.
Microalgae are microorganisms that can grow rapidly fast with the aid of sunlight, carbon dioxide, and nutrients. They can be cultivated either through open pond systems or closed-container systems. Due to the biological make-up of microalgae, scientists have found its applications in cosmetics and as a food source for both humans and animals. Also, due to its high oil content, microalgae is a viable source of biofuels with high oil yield per land area compared to the current biomass feedstock such as jatropha, soybean, and corn. With its promising potential, microalgae can aid in the Philippines’ initiative of utilizing biofuels.
In the two-week intensive workshop, the team were able to design and fabricate a closed-type container system for the production of microalgae biomass. The fabricated design will help the team to recreate such system in the Philippines. Other than the design, cultivation techniques were shared to the team to induce faster growth rate and higher yield of microalgae during the cultivation process. The workshop aims to build capacity in the Philippines in the research and development of various algal technologies.
The workshop was hosted by Dr. Joel Cuello, Professor of the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department of the University of Arizona. The workshop is a part of the project “Life Cycle Assessment of Algal Biofuels in the Philippines”, headed by Dr. Aristotle Ubando, Project Principal Investigator and Associate Professor of the Mechanical Engineering Department. The project is a collaborative effort between De La Salle University, the University of the Philippines Visayas and the University of Arizona. Its objective is to aid policy and decision makers in the Philippines for environmental and energy policy development, and strategic planning of algal industry in the Philippines. The Microalgae Cultivation Workshop was made possible with the generous support of the American people through the U.S. Agency for Internartional Development (USAID) in partnership with RTI International and Science, Technology, Research, and Innovation for Development Program (STRIDE).