Algal Biofuels: Current Status and Key Challenges

The current fossil fuel reserves are not sufficient to meet the increasing demand and very soon will become exhausted. Pollution, global warming, and inflated oil prices have led the quest for renewable energy sources. Algal biofuels represent a potential source of renewable energy. Algae, as the th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Energies (Basel) 2019, Vol.12 (10), p.1920
Main Authors: Saad, Marwa G, Dosoky, Noura S, Zoromba, Mohamed S, Shafik, Hesham M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Algae
algal cultivation
Alternative energy sources
Biodiesel fuels
biofuel conversion
Biofuels
Biomass
Bioremediation
Carbohydrates
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide fixation
Climate change
Emissions
Energy
Energy policy
Energy sources
Ethanol
Federal agencies
Fertilizers
Food production
Global warming
Greenhouse effect
Greenhouse gases
Heat treatment
Lipids
Liquid fuels
microalgae
Microfluidics
Oil pollution
Optimization
Raw materials
renewable energy
Renewable energy sources
Technology
Wastewater treatment
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Summary:The current fossil fuel reserves are not sufficient to meet the increasing demand and very soon will become exhausted. Pollution, global warming, and inflated oil prices have led the quest for renewable energy sources. Algal biofuels represent a potential source of renewable energy. Algae, as the third generation feedstock, are suitable for biodiesel and bioethanol production due to their quick growth, excellent biomass yield, and high lipid and carbohydrate contents. With their huge potential, algae are expected to surpass the first and second generation feedstocks. Only a few thousand algal species have been investigated as possible biofuel sources, and none of them was ideal. This review summarizes the current status of algal biofuels, important steps of algal biofuel production, and the major commercial production challenges.
ISSN:1996-1073
1996-1073
DOI:10.3390/en12101920