Cultivation of Oily Microalgae for the Production of Third-Generation Biofuels

Preeti Pal, Kit Wayne Chew, Hong-Wei Yen, Jun Wei Lim, Man Kee Lam and Pau Loke Show
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Preeti Pal: School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India
Kit Wayne Chew: School of Mathematical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Jalan Broga, Semenyih 43500, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Hong-Wei Yen: Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Tunghai University, Taichung 002105-7, Taiwan
Jun Wei Lim: Department of Fundamental and Applied Sciences, Centre for Biofuel and Biochemical Research, Institute of Self-Sustainable Building, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Seri Iskandar 32610, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia
Man Kee Lam: Chemical Engineering Department, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Seri Iskandar 32610, Perak, Malaysia
Pau Loke Show: Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Jalan Broga, Semenyih 43500, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 19, 1-16

Abstract: Biofuel production by oleaginous microalgae is a promising alternative to the conventional fossil fuels. Many microalgae species have been investigated and deemed as potential renewable sources for the production of biofuel, biogas, food supplements and other products. Oleaginous microalgae, named for their ability to produce oil, are reported to store 30–70% of lipid content due to its metabolic properties under nutrient starvation conditions. This review presents the assortment of the research studies focused on biofuel production from oleaginous microalgae. The new methods and technologies developed for oleaginous microalgae cultivation to improve their biomass content and lipid accumulation capacity were reviewed. The production of renewable, carbon neutral, bio-based or microalgae-based transport fuels are necessary for environmental protection and economic sustainability. Microalgae are a significant source of renewable biodiesel because of their ability to produce oils in the presence of sunlight more efficiently than that of crop oils. This review will provide the background to understanding the bottlenecks and the need for improvement in the cultivation or harvesting process for oleaginous microalgae.

Keywords: algae culture; biodiesel; bioenergy; microalgae biomass; phototrophic (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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