سیاست های مدیریت آب در بخش سوخت های زیستی جلبکی در جنوب غربی ایالات متحده

Algal biorefinery-based integrated industrial ecology has received increased attention as a sustainable way of producing biofuel, food, high value products and feed ingredients in the Southwestern United States (US). However, these regions already face serious freshwater supply issues. Hence, new policies and regulations for water management and use is a high priority for the sustainable development of an algal biofuel sector to meet liquid fuel needs in the US without hampering the regional hydrologic pattern.

Algal biomass production offers several advantages over conventional terrestrial biofuel feedstocks. Algae offer significantly higher biomass and lipid yields per acre per year [1], economic use and recovery of waste nutrients [2], use of non-potable water such as saline, brackish, industrial or municipal waste water, productive use of non-crop lands (desert, arid and semi-arid land) [3] and capture of CO2 from power-plant flue gas, cement or other manufacturing plants, breweries or other carbon sources [4] and [5]. These positive sustainability indices have attracted substantial research investments from federal government, private investors and energy industries into this sector as a sustainable way of producing next generation biofuel, food, and high value products [6] and [7]. The recent National Algal Technology Road Map by United States Department of Energy identified Southwestern states are optimal for future algal biofuel sector [8]. Similarly, a ‘renewable energy corridor’ rich in the multiple energy sources needed for algal biofuel production via the deployment of Integrated Renewable Energy Parks has been envisioned in the Southwestern (SW) US [9], [10] and [11]. This corridor, comprised mainly of regions of New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado, is poised as an optimal region for algal biomass generation because of the availability of the necessary natural resources such as sunlight, an optimum ambient temperature, cheap arid land and saline water [6], [7] and [8]; however, some of these regions face major freshwater issues.

Algal biomass production offers several advantages over conventional terrestrial biofuel feedstocks. Algae offer significantly higher biomass and lipid yields per acre per year [1], economic use and recovery of waste nutrients [2], use of non-potable water such as saline, brackish, industrial or municipal waste water, productive use of non-crop lands (desert, arid and semi-arid land) [3] and capture of CO2 from power-plant flue gas, cement or other manufacturing plants, breweries or other carbon sources [4] and [5]. These positive sustainability indices have attracted substantial research investments from federal government, private investors and energy industries into this sector as a sustainable way of producing next generation biofuel, food, and high value products [6] and [7]. The recent National Algal Technology Road Map by United States Department of Energy identified Southwestern states are optimal for future algal biofuel sector [8]. Similarly, a ‘renewable energy corridor’ rich in the multiple energy sources needed for algal biofuel production via the deployment of Integrated Renewable Energy Parks has been envisioned in the Southwestern (SW) US [9], [10] and [11]. This corridor, comprised mainly of regions of New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado, is poised as an optimal region for algal biomass generation because of the availability of the necessary natural resources such as sunlight, an optimum ambient temperature, cheap arid land and saline water [6], [7] and [8]; however, some of these regions face major freshwater issues.