Using LED as light source for microalgae production

Algae organisms are able to manufacture their own food material by photo-synthesis. They can be cultivated under certain conditions of temperature, light, nutrients, pH and water quality. Each one of this major variables must be optimized in order to achieve the best production results, and they basically define our research lines in Aqualgae, allowing us to be at the top front of microalgae production systems.

A broad approach of our client business drives us to a project definition where several business performance indicators must be taken into account. Do you need faster algae growth? Do you need best biomass quality? Do you want to improve energy efficiency and optimize energy indicators?

LEDs

When we arrive to this point, the light source play a key role in the whole production solution.

Light is electromagnetic radiation transmitted as photons. In algae, light is absorbed by pigments and photoreceptors.

Good algae growth is more than photo-synthesis. There is critical information beyond PAR (Photo-synthetically Active Radiation) area, in the UV-B and UV-A range and also in the far-red area and in the combinations between them. These areas and ratios strongly affect the production of several compounds.

Nowadays, using LEDs (Light-Emitting Diodes) as light source in microalgae production systems is a very common solution. LEDs come in many shapes, forms, wavelengths, efficiencies, etc. Exactly how they are driven in large part determines the resulting output and, in the end, the process result. It is essential to understand that there is a huge range of characteristics across the LED offerings.

Controlling the light quality and knowing which part of the spectrum and which combinations of the spectrum areas are involved in different processes enables microalgae growth and production of microalgae with desired and controlled characteristics.

We have realized about the importance of the lighting issue; it is because of this that in Aqualgae we work close with some of the most well-recognized grow light researchers and manufactures, as well as investing on in-house research in order to be sure that your solution will be the optimal one.

We have realized about the importance of the lighting issue; it is because of this that in Aqualgae we work close with some of the most well-recognized grow light researchers and manufactures, and invest on in-house research in order to be sure that your solution will be the optimal one.