Objective 

The objective of the C-FAST (Carbon negative Fuels derived from Algal and Solar Technologies)  project is to offer a pilot plant to demonstrate production of hydrocarbon fuels (including diesel and gasoline) as sustainable carbon-negative energy carriers and raw materials for the chemical commodity industry.   

Concept

cmcl innovations is offering a pilot plant with a production capacity of 350 t/year of biodiesel. The plant uses advanced photobioreactors to cultivate algal biomass. The biomass is converted into syncrude using combined gasification and Fischer-Tropsch processes, followed by a final upgrade to produce a hydrocarbon fuel. The energy requirements for the plant are provided using concentrated solar power arrays, rendering the overall production process carbon negative.

Benefits

• Carbon-negative energy carriers (sustainable fuels) for use in existing high-efficiency low-emission automotive applications.
• Utilise Fischer-Tropsch process to produce commodity chemical compounds.
• Techno-economic assessment carried out for a wide range of plant capacities and macro/micro economic and technical factors.
• Established supply chain of ready-to-deliver individual component technology providers .
• Low-cost arid landscapes identified as an optimal location for technology deployment.

A patent is held by cmcl innovations at the UK patent office – filing No. 1118696.2.