A Hybrid Life Cycle Optimization Model for Different Microalgae Cultivation Systems

The environmental impacts analyses for the production of microalgal biomass include four key performance indicators: energy, water, carbon and land footprints. This work presents a life cycle optimization (LCO) model for microalgae production, taking into account these criteria for assessing different cultivation methods and carbon sources. The LCO model is formulated as a multiple objective linear program (MOLP), which is then solved to determine the Pareto optimal solutions. A hybrid approach is then developed where the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is integrated for determining the weights of the environmental output criteria. This approach enables a unique optimum to be determined for the microalgae system.