Algal Biofuel: A Sustainable Approach
for Fuel of Future Generation
1
Neha Maheshwari, Arti Mishra, I. S. Thakur, and Shaili Srivastava
Abstract
Fossil fuels are used for the generation of electrical power, as well as liquid fuels.
There are a variety of renewable or low atmospheric pollution technologies that
can generate electrical power, including solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal,
and nuclear. However, renewable technologies to supplement or replace liquid
fossil fuels are still in their early developmental stages. The International Energy
Agency expects that biofuels will contribute 6% of total fuel use by 2030, but
could expand significantly if undeveloped petroleum fields are not accessed or if
substantial new fields are not identified. The use of liquid fossil fuel as an energy
source has long been considered unsustainable and most importantly the liquid
fossil fuel will be diminished by the middle of this century. In addition, the fossil
fuel is directly related to environmental degradation and greenhouse emission.
Biofuel produced from plants, animals, or algae products can offer an alternative
to reduce our dependency on fossil fuel and assist to maintain healthy global
environment. Microalgae are becoming popular candidate for biofuel production
due to their high lipid contents, ease of cultivation, and rapid growth rate. Fatty
acid methyl esters (FAME) are used as alternative diesel fuel originating from
renewable sources. The attention is focused on the materials that do not compete
with food and feed production. Algae have a significant potential as an alternative
biodiesel feedstock. In comparison to other crops, they have the advantage in very
fast reproduction cycles, enhanced resistance to high UV radiation doses, and
higher effectiveness of energy conversion to biomass due to low demands on
other metabolic functions. Moreover, they fix atmospheric CO 2 very efficiently.
Microalgae have benefit over other sources of biofuel as it fixes atmospheric CO 2
N. Maheshwari · S. Srivastava (*)
Amity School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Amity University Haryana, Gurugram,
Haryana, India
A. Mishra · I. S. Thakur
School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
# Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
A. Singh et al. (eds.), Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7493-1_1
3
for Fuel of Future Generation
1
Neha Maheshwari, Arti Mishra, I. S. Thakur, and Shaili Srivastava
Abstract
Fossil fuels are used for the generation of electrical power, as well as liquid fuels.
There are a variety of renewable or low atmospheric pollution technologies that
can generate electrical power, including solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal,
and nuclear. However, renewable technologies to supplement or replace liquid
fossil fuels are still in their early developmental stages. The International Energy
Agency expects that biofuels will contribute 6% of total fuel use by 2030, but
could expand significantly if undeveloped petroleum fields are not accessed or if
substantial new fields are not identified. The use of liquid fossil fuel as an energy
source has long been considered unsustainable and most importantly the liquid
fossil fuel will be diminished by the middle of this century. In addition, the fossil
fuel is directly related to environmental degradation and greenhouse emission.
Biofuel produced from plants, animals, or algae products can offer an alternative
to reduce our dependency on fossil fuel and assist to maintain healthy global
environment. Microalgae are becoming popular candidate for biofuel production
due to their high lipid contents, ease of cultivation, and rapid growth rate. Fatty
acid methyl esters (FAME) are used as alternative diesel fuel originating from
renewable sources. The attention is focused on the materials that do not compete
with food and feed production. Algae have a significant potential as an alternative
biodiesel feedstock. In comparison to other crops, they have the advantage in very
fast reproduction cycles, enhanced resistance to high UV radiation doses, and
higher effectiveness of energy conversion to biomass due to low demands on
other metabolic functions. Moreover, they fix atmospheric CO 2 very efficiently.
Microalgae have benefit over other sources of biofuel as it fixes atmospheric CO 2
N. Maheshwari · S. Srivastava (*)
Amity School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Amity University Haryana, Gurugram,
Haryana, India
A. Mishra · I. S. Thakur
School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
# Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
A. Singh et al. (eds.), Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7493-1_1
3