Analysis of water footprint of a photobioreactor microalgae biofuel production system from blue, green and lifecycle perspectives

• Combined model of process and economic input-output lifecycle analysis methods for assessment of microalgae biofuel water footprints.
• Water footprint assessment in several metric scales and for four different fuel conversion pathways of biofuels.
• Water use assessment with geographical and temporal resolution for commercial production of microalgae biofuels.
• Water consumption as potential resource constrain for large-scale production of microalgae biofuels in local and national scale.

Microalgae are currently being investigated as a feedstock for the commercial production of transportation fuels, due to their potential scalability and sustainability advantages over conventional feedstocks. The water consumption of microalgae has been postulated to be a resource barrier for large-scale production. This study presents an assessment of the water footprint (WF) of a closed photobioreactor-based biofuel production system, where microalgae cultivation is simulated with geographical and temporal resolution. The assessment focuses on the WF as modeled for four different fuel conversion pathways, and in 10 continental US locations corresponding to high productivity yields. The WF is comprehensively assessed using a hybrid approach which combines process and economic input–output lifecycle analysis method, using three metrics: blue, green and lifecycle WF. Results show that the blue WF of microalgae biofuels varies between 23 and 85 m3 · GJ− 1 depending on process and geographic location. The green WF shows that microalgae cultivation may reduce the required local water withdrawals. Water credits from the co-products vary with allocation methods and end uses, from credits of less than 4 m3 · GJ− 1 up to credits of 334 m3 · GJ− 1. Results for the net lifecycle WF with coproduct credits vary between 80 and − 291 m3 · GJ− 1. Discussion focuses on the sensitivity of microalgae biofuel WF and highlights potential local and national strain of water resources relative to other fuels and biofuels.