International Conference on Renewable Energies and Power Quality (ICREPQ’13) Bilbao (Spain), 20 th to 22 th March, 2013 exÇxãtuÄx XÇxÜzç tÇw cÉãxÜ dâtÄ|àç ]ÉâÜÇtÄ (RE&PQJ) ISSN 2172-038 X, No.11, March 2013 Biophotonic Combined Energy System (BCES) U. Hellwig 1 , B. Kamm 2 , F. Wildenauer 1 , A. Kölling 3 , S. Kieseler 4 1 University of Applied Science Wildau, Bahnhofstrasse 1, 15745 Wildau (Germany) +0049 3375 508 170, +0049 3375 508 586, udo.hellwig@th-wildau.de 2 BIOPOS Forschungsinstitut Bioaktive Polymersysteme e. V. Kantstrasse 55, 14513 Teltow (Germany) 3 ERK Eckrohrkessel GmbH Am Treptower Park 28 A - 12435 Berlin (Germany) 4 Berlin University of Technology, Energy Processing and Conversion Technologies of Renewable Energies, Fasanenstrasse 89, 10963 Berlin (Germany) Abstract. A comprehensive outline of a new approach in closed loop processing for energy utilisation and biomass genera- tion using micro algae for electricity, heat and chemicals is presented - the Biophotonic Combined Energy System (BCES). The basic idea proposes that life-cycle management is an es- sential strategy in research and business. In terms of the BCES a carbon cycle driven by solar radiation via the photosystems of the Chlorophyceae species Scenedesmus rubescens serves as the core process from which valuable materials are extracted. The resi- dues serve as the substrate for biogas generation which is used to run a Combined Heat and Power Plant (CHP) equipped with a gas motor and an exhaust gas carbon dioxide and heat recovery system. The electricity generated is fed into the public grid and the thermal energy is used to make the right temperature for the micro algae suspension. The carbon dioxide from biogas combus- tion is injected into the algae suspension thereby closing the elementary loop within the system. Key words Solar Energy Conversion, Micro Algae, Combined Heat and Power Plant (CHP), Bio-chemicals 1. Algae Biomass At present algae and micro algae more and more become an important resource in research and technological de- velopment. Therefore, particularly regarding numerous applications for purposes of material use, one can dif- ferentiate between two branches of bio-refineries in ge- neral, the paths of generating solid, liquid and gaseous fuels for energy utilisation and the production of resources for material use [1]. The metabolites as well as the tissue matrix of microalgae are focussed strongly as an energy carrier, because the energetic yield of algae is significantly greater than that of lignocellulosic plants, due to the fact that the lower heating value is approximately 30 % higher. In the context of raw materials there is distinguished Fig. 1. Chlorophyceae species Scenedesmus rubescens culture. between carbohydrates, lignins, lipids, proteins and spe- cial substances like dyes. The results of a brief literature study clearly showed that any kind of these raw materials can be extracted from micro algae, anyway [2,3,4,5,6,7]. Table I. – Materials and Products from Micro Algae Species Raw material Final product Scenedesmus rubescens lipids, carotenoids fuels, aliments, antioxidants Chlamydomonas spinosa carbohydrates fuels, plastics Chlorella stigmatophora proteins nutriments, foodstuffs Calliarthron cheilosporioides lignins fuels, chemicals Chlamydomonas reinhardtii hydrogen, oxygen, proteins fuels, fine- chemicals Porphyridium cruentum chlorophylls, proteins pharmaceuticals, dyes https://doi.org/10.24084/repqj11.270 251 RE&PQJ, Vol.1, No.11, March 2013