Microalgae have recognised properties in many unexpected fields. From lighting and heating homes to cleaning up the air, and producing biofuel, plastics and even cosmetics, algae have plenty of surprises in store! In this feature, we reveal all their secrets.
Join us today to find out how algae can make their way into your home and help reduce your environmental impact!
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MICROALGAE FOR HEATING
Imagine a building where 100% of the heating needs and 50% of the hot running water were supplied by spirulina. Well, that building exists. Built in Hamburg in 2013, its 200 m2 façade is fitted with tanks containing spirulina, known as photobioreactors.
Thanks to the composition of the growing medium (nutrients and CO2) and the façade’s exposure to the sun, the microalgae grow abundantly and carry out photosynthesis undisturbed. The heat given off by their growth, together with heat from the sun, is then carried to a heat exchanger in the building’s basement to heat domestic and sanitary water. The hot water recovered in this way covers 100% of the building’s domestic heating needs and 50% of its running hot water. The remaining 50% is produced by a heat pump. However, microalgae are living organisms that are sensitive to temperatures that are either too low or too high, so a safeguard system is in place to protect them from extreme weather conditions.
Unfortunately, this type of building is still very expensive to construct for now, but the engineers in charge of such projects hope to bring the cost down in the long run.
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PAINTING IT “GREEN”
Staying with buildings, a company in Brittany uses microalgae, natural and renewable ingredients, to produce paint.
These algae-based products contribute to indoor air quality thanks to their low emissions of volatile organic compounds. These VOCs are toxic compounds present at less than 1 g/litre in algae-based paint, compared with levels of up to 100 g/litre in conventional paints.
This innovation, made from renewable resources and championing respect for the environment and short supply chains, has received numerous French and European awards.
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PLASTIC WITHOUT THE PLASTIC
Plastic is one of the types of waste that takes longest to break down when discarded in nature. For example, a PET bottle takes 100 to 1,000 years to disappear, and plastic waste has even formed a 7th continent in the middle of the Pacific. This mass of waste is a real environmental problem and contributes to the loss of marine biodiversity.
Using mechanical and thermal processes, it is indeed possible to make plastic from algae grown without pesticides or fertilisers and using very little water. Objects made with this technology are biodegradable. After 12 weeks in the soil, the object disappears, acting as a natural fertiliser. As a bonus, this material is easier to work with than conventional plastic pellets and requires no investment in special equipment. The uses for this type of plastic are endless: from spectacle frames to flowerpots and reusable cups, algae can already find their way into your home.
In the near future, algae will be able to help improve your home’s energy performance. They will also become part of your daily life by helping to reduce pollution in the air around us while limiting the environmental impact of manufacturing and recycling plastics.
See you soon to discover how algae can be used in the urban landscape and in cosmetics.
Read also: Algae and the environment
