We present a model-based assessment of alternative cultivation strategies on algal biomass production within the conterminous United States. Our assessment focuses on two basic cultivation strategies: 1) seasonal rotation of three representative freshwater algal strains that are well suited for warm weather, cold weather, and all-season diverse weather conditions, respectively; and 2) variation between three open pond water depths (15cm, 20cm, and 25cm). The enhanced Biomass Assessment Tool (BAT) is applied on a site-specific, hourly basis at 5,832 North American Land Data Assimilation System Phase 2 1/8° meteorological model grid cells over a 30-year period (1980-2009) to evaluate the operational strategies. Recognizing that resource management decisions may also consider scales beyond the individual site, we also conduct a regional assessment of focused on 7 representative climate zones in the conterminous United States. Results demonstrate that the spatial variability of algal productivity is largely affected by the strain-specific growth response to light and temperature that vary significantly by climate zone and latitude. With a limited set of alternative cultivation strategies, the BAT identified the best performing combination of cultivation strategies on a site-specific basis that considerably enhances national annual biomass productivity. In particular, the appropriate choice of seasonal strain rotation is able to significantly dampen climate-driven seasonal and spatial variability.
Revised: September 21, 2020 |
Published: August 1, 2020
Citation
Sun N., R. Skaggs, M.S. Wigmosta, A. Coleman, M.H. Huesemann, and S.J. Edmundson. 2020.Growth Modeling to Evaluate Alternative Cultivation Strategies to Enhance National Microalgal Biomass Production.Algal Research 49.PNNL-SA-145175.doi:10.1016/j.algal.2020.101939