Low-cost cultivation of Nannochloropsis oceanica in newly designed photobioreactors and its productivity trends in semi-continuous cultivation under inland outdoor conditions

Most marine microalgae are typically cultivated in coastal areas due to challenges in inland cultivation. In this 185 days experiment, Nannochloropsis oceanica was semi-continuously cultivated inland using different photobioreactors (PBRs). The newly designed 700-liter (L) PBR exhibited tolerance to seasonal changes compared to the 150-L PBRs. The innovative in-situ oxygen release rate (ORR) measurement method results indicated that ORR was influenced by light intensity and temperature. The optimal temperature range for N. oceanica growth was 14–25 ℃, demonstrated cold tolerance and lipid accumulation at low temperatures. The maximum lipid content in 700-L and 150-L PBRs was 29 % and 28 %, respectively. Based on the average biomass productivity, the price of N. oceanica was $11.89 kg−1 (or $3.35 kg−1 based on maximum biomass productivity), which is cheaper than the current market price of $20.19 kg−1. From results, smaller PBRs at the same hydro electricity price are more cost-effective.