Microalgae as an Attractive Source for Biofuel Production

With the depletion of fossil fuel resources and the limited availability of petroleum-derived transport fuel, along with the contribution to global warming, the environmental benefits of renewable biofuel are seen as the best alternative source in recent years. Among the third-generation biodiesel feed stocks such as food crops (sugarcane, sugar beet, maize and rapeseed) and non-food crops (Jatropha sp., Cassava sp., lignocellulosic materials), microalgae has been hailed as the third-generation biodiesel. Microalgae are the only fuel source that can be sustainably developed in the near future, and can produce ten times more oil than oleaginous plants. Biodiesel from microalgae has received much attention world-wide in recent years due to its carbon-neutral status. The higher neutral lipid contents of microalgae also surpass terrestrial plants for biofuel production, and microalgae are the largest biomass producers. They can accumulate high concentrations of triacylglycerol as a storage lipid under photooxidative stress and other unfavorable environmental conditions within a short period of time. This chapter provides an overview of the production of biodiesel from microalgae and includes algae cultivation, biomass production, harvesting, and downstream processing, along with a list of companies aiming to develop biodiesel from microalgae.