Hydroelectric Power Plants in Brazil Can Turn Algae Into Biofuel

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – On the border between the states of Mato Grosso do Sul and São Paulo, researchers are successfully converting an environmental issue into an energy source.

The small green islets in the water draw attention for their beauty and conceal a major issue in the Southeast and Midwest rivers. “These are native plants in rivers and reservoirs, which thrive where they find a favorable environment, with light and nutrients,” explains biologist Rogério Marchetto Antonio.

Studies have found that these plants contain large amounts of fertilizer from crops and sewage from nearby cities. The result was a disorderly growth of the plants, which became a threat to the operation of the hydroelectric plants.

“I need to stop energy production due to the number of plants covering the water intake to the turbines,” says Cesar Teodoro, director of operations and maintenance at CTG Brasil.

In 2017, these plants caused millions of dollars of damage to the Jupiá hydroelectric plant. Ten energy generator units stopped working. To prevent this from happening again, the power plant’s grille, which is 33 meters deep, undergoes daily cleaning. Over three years, workers have removed over 2,000 tons of algae.

Researchers had previously pondered the feasibility of converting algae into biofuel, but this is the first time that the study has achieved this. Although on a small scale, it was possible to extract bio-oil from aquatic plants.

The next challenge is to process this bio-oil so that it can be used in diesel engines. “This material has a social and environmental impact and provides a purpose associated with financial, social, and economic issues. The great challenge lies in the significance of the material itself,” says Hélio Mera de Assis, an industrial researcher at ISI Biomassa.