Mexican startup Greenfluidics has developed bio panels that absorb carbon dioxide and pump out biomass that can be used as fuel or as fertilizer. This could be a breakthrough in the energy sector.
The idea of using microalgae bioreactor panels outside buildings is nothing new. Already in 2013, Splitterworks Architects and engineering firm Arup joined forces to construct a full-size BIQ pilot building, covered with no less than 200 square meters of BioSkin panels.
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Biopanel serves several purposes. First of all, they collect carbon dioxide and pass it through water saturated with selected strains of algae that absorb carbon dioxide.2 And sunlight, mass increase and oxygen production. The more sunlight, the faster the algae grows and the more carbon dioxide it absorbs.
The panels also trap heat in the water, which serves BIQ for two purposes – first, it gives the building color, reducing the energy consumption of air conditioning in the summer. Second, this heat can be stored — as well as the biomass itself. The biomass produced by BIQ is periodically filtered and then collected and reprocessed into combustible biofuels, which are then returned to the building. BIQ is able to cover nearly a third of its water heated energy needs in a sustainable manner.
green fluids He wants to make some changes to this process. The system uses nanofluids – effectively recyclable carbon nanoparticles added to water, which increases thermal conductivity. Founded in 2018, the company expects to market the product soon, and it has already won many awards.
Bio panels will produce electricity, clean oxygen, and biomass that can be converted into combustion fuel, fertilizer, or a host of other useful materials. Unfortunately, it is not known whether the project itself will be profitable. BIQ has been open for nearly 9 years and the technology hasn’t hit the market yet.
Some experts fear that the bioalgae technology may fall into the “too complex and expensive” category.
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