Design Solution

The proposed design solution is a workshop in which students will learn how to build a photobioreactor from everyday materials. Our data showed that having a standalone product or open-sourced design lacks the ability to elicit a positive behavior change in the lives of people. Interactive elements in the workshop will allow a high level of interaction with the learning experience, thereby having a greater influence over those involved. Another advantage of the workshop is the fact that the only investment needed to attend would be time. The workshop will have three major stages: the introduction, the hands-on portion, and the demonstration. The first part of the workshop will be a quick introduction to the topic of environmental sustainability, in which we will address the lack of awareness about the biofuel alternatives to fossil fuels. During this section, we will cover the recent developments in the field of algal biotechnologies and shed light on the trend of research companies who are switching from algal biofuel technologies to the nutritional products created from algae because of the fact that it is much more profitable. This is will be followed by a demonstration of a working bioreactor. The participants will then be split up into groups of two or three to each work station set up. At each workstation that we set up prior to the workshop, there will be all the materials to build a reactor and a step by step guide to aid the process. During this time, those leading the workshop would be walking around, answering any questions, and handing out a sample of the algae to groups that have completed their bioreactor. This build process will not last longer than 10-15 minutes and is there to show the participants the ease with which they could build their own algae photobioreactor at home. Once every team completes their own bioreactor, we will gather them and demonstrate the harvesting of algae from a fully saturated reactor. We will do this using a filter small enough to strain the algae out of the water. We will follow this with the process of extracting algal oil and converting it to biodiesel. Then we end the workshop with a demonstration using premade algal oil or biodiesel to power a generator and charge the participants’ phones, computers, and other electronics. This part of the workshop will allow participants to think about the potential role of algae biofuels in terms of the objects in their everyday life. This demonstration is a working example and might be swapped out for alternatives, such as a diesel car that runs on algal oil. Although the main goal of the workshop would be to encourage the participants to create their own set up at home, success of the workshop could be measured in a much broader sense. Even if an individual decides that a personal set up would be too much of a hassle and decides to forego making a bioreactor, this attendee could be considered a success of the workshop, as long as she carries with her the lesson that algal biofuels is potential alternative source of energy. Even if participants do not build a bioreactor of their own because they have attended our workshop and been exposed to algae biofuel it can be considered a success This is important and valuable to our users due to their busy schedule. Once setup it does not require much attention. Algae will grow exponentially on its own and one needs only to extract the fuel. This workshop is meant to light a spark in our user’s mind that being environmentally friendly and energy efficient is easy and saves money without getting bogged down by science or resources. The importance of our design is it shows the ease to which one can have a positive impact on the environment, while saving money. By conducting a workshop that highlights efficiency, low cost, low maintenance, and positive environmental impact it gives our audience, who already have these behaviors and tendencies, another outlet to be self- sufficient while contributing on small scale to energy crisis and environment.