Microalgal bioenergy, biosequestration, and water use efficiency for remote resource industries in Western Australia

In 2008-09, the mining sales value in Western Australia (WA) was AUD71.3 billion 1. The resource industry continues to generate significant infrastructure investment and supply expansion developments in remote and arid regions of the state. The sector is also a major driver of liquid fuel demand growth, and currently represents approximately 40% of total transport fuel use, and around 60% (more than 2,000 ML) of diesel consumption in WA each year 1. The gas and electricity supply interruptions from the June 3 2008 Varanus Island gas facility explosion led to temporary production cuts in several major resource operations 2, and subsequently lead to a focus on diversifying to an increasingly indigenous clean energy supply portfolio 3. The potential of microalgae technology to address such energy, carbon (C) emissions, within a limited water context in the energy intensive Australian resource industry is substantial. However, there is much research and development investment required for microalgal bioenergy, biosequestration, and water use efficiencies to be integrated into resource production streams. This work explores microalgal biological capacity in the region, microalgal technological developments to date, and the synergies required for microalgae production developments to generate cost-effective and robust returns in the demanding resource industry in the remote and arid mining context