TEIKYO SDGs reportBiofuels that Light up the Future
--Possibility of microalgae--
Tomoko Shinomura, ProfessorDepartment of Biosciences Faculty of Science and Faculty of Science and Engineering,Teikyo University
Completed the master's program at the Graduate Graduate School Life Sciences, University of Tsukuba in 1983. Joined Hitachi, Ltd. in 1984 and was assigned to the Central Research Laboratory, where he has been engaged in various researches. In 2000, he was awarded a doctoral degree in science from the University of Tsukuba. In the latter half of the 2000s, he participated in research on the removal of microbes from the ballast water of ships, and then on the growth of Euglena. Since April 2010, he has been appointed to the Faculty of Science and Technology of Teikyo Faculty of Science and Engineering as a Professor in the Plant Molecular Cell Science Laboratory, Department of Biosciences.
To summarize this report ...
Microalgaes refer to microscopic-sized phytoplankton that commonly live in water, such as Euglena and Pediastrum.
Just as oil can be obtained from plants, oil can be obtained from microalgae. It is expected to become an energy source that will support future society as a biofuel.
Professor Shinomura is a researcher of microalgae, and is highly evaluated especially for his research on the cellular response of Euglena to light.
Focusing on the environment around Teikyo University Utsunomiya Campus, he is actively pursuing new possibilities for microalgae while doing fieldwork with students.
The cost of extracting energy sources from microalgae is still high. More efficient methods of increasing microalgae and the production of more environmentally resistant individuals could significantly reduce the cost of producing energy from microalgae.
Microalgae that have the potential to solve energy issues that can be called the infrastructure of the SDGs. Attention is focused on the enormous potential within a small being.
Open the door of microalgae
Euglena
Microalgae are microscopic-sized phytoplankton that generally inhabit water, such as Euglena (Euglena) and Pediastrum. These microalgae, which are said to have been born in ancient times more than 2 billion years ago, are now attracting attention as an energy source for industry. There are two reasons for attention. The first is that we can get a lot of oil, which is an energy source for industry. Currently, the most oily land plant per square meter is palm palm produced in Southeast Asia. On the other hand, microalgae are said to produce about 10 times more oil per unit area than palm palm, although it is a theoretical value. The second point is carbon neutral. Microalgae, which are plants, take in carbon dioxide by photosynthesis and proliferate. In addition, waste disposal of energy resources is always a difficult task, but the oil squeezed residue from microalgae is expected to be used for livestock feed and soil improvement, which is a great advantage.
