Recent Developments on Algal Biofuel Technology

Microalgae provide great promise for the production of biofuels as they have the highest growth rates of all photosynthetic organisms and have demonstrated high levels of desirable products required for biofuel production without competing for land or resources from the agriculture industry. It has been established that the type of algae chosen to cultivate is very important. This can effect which techniques may be best to use for harvesting and converting algae to biofuels. It is important to consider the lipid content of the algae and its growth rate as a high yield shall be needed from the process, but it must also be of high quality. The research that has been conducted so far has proven very useful however there is still much to learn when it comes to the best techniques to use for the production of biofuels. Any process utilizing microalgae needs to be cost effective to be commercially viable and be able to fit into the current
fuel demand without altering distribution or storage processes. In order to achieve a positive energy balance which will be important when considering cost effective processes, a highly optimized production system is required. In recent scientific discussions, many of the environmental impacts and cost performance points raised produce both challenges and opportunities that would require further research and the potential integration of other processes. Once a gold standard has been established for the cultivation of algal biomass and lipid extraction methods, commercialization of algal biofuel production will soon follow.