very efficiently and also fulfill liquid fuel demand for present as well as future
generation.
1.1
Introduction
The demand for liquid fuels in transport is rising. Nowadays, fatty acid methyl esters
(FAME) are accepted liquid biofuels for diesel engines. They are usually prepared
from vegetable oils or animal fats. Today, 90% of organic chemicals are based on
fossil fuels, meaning they are based on non-renewable resources. Seventy percent of
proteins in the European Union are imported. An alternative is needed. Due to their
high growth rate and the small land area required, algae could become that alternative. We are not at that stage just yet. The challenge is to optimize the algae value
chain, from local production to storage and handling, in such a way that it becomes a
viable, economically relevant industry. Worldwide, algal biofuel research and
development efforts have focused on increasing the competitiveness of algal biofuels
by increasing the energy and financial return on investments, reducing water intensity and resource requirements, and increasing algal productivity (Herzog et al.
2001).
1.1.1 Interest in Sustainable Development of Algal Biofuel
The aspiration for producing algal biofuel is motivated by the desire to: (1) displace
conventional petroleum-based fuels, which are exhaustible, (2) produce fuels
domestically to reduce energy imports, and (3) reduce greenhouse gas emissions
by cultivating algae that reuse carbon dioxide emitted from industrial facilities. In
theory, algae have the potential to produce a large amount of petroleum fuel
substitutes while avoiding the need for large amounts of fresh water and arable
land. These attributes have created widespread interest in algal biofuels. In practice,
however, profitable algal biofuel production faces several important challenges
(Slade and Bauen 2013).
Microalgae are a large and diverse group of aquatic organisms that lack the
complex cell structures found in higher plants. They can be found in diverse
environments, some species thriving in freshwater, others in saline conditions and
seawater. Most species are photoautotrophic, converting solar energy into chemical
forms through photosynthesis (Elegbedea et al. 2017). Microalgae have received
considerable interest as a potential feedstock for biofuel production because,
depending on the species and cultivation conditions, they can produce useful
quantities of polysaccharides (sugars) and triacylglycerides (fats). These are the
raw materials for producing bioethanol and biodiesel transport fuels. Microalgae
also produce proteins that could be used as a source of animal feed, and some species
can produce commercially valuable compounds such as pigments and
pharmaceuticals (Chisti 2007). There are two main alternatives for cultivating
4
N. Maheshwari et al.
generation.
1.1
Introduction
The demand for liquid fuels in transport is rising. Nowadays, fatty acid methyl esters
(FAME) are accepted liquid biofuels for diesel engines. They are usually prepared
from vegetable oils or animal fats. Today, 90% of organic chemicals are based on
fossil fuels, meaning they are based on non-renewable resources. Seventy percent of
proteins in the European Union are imported. An alternative is needed. Due to their
high growth rate and the small land area required, algae could become that alternative. We are not at that stage just yet. The challenge is to optimize the algae value
chain, from local production to storage and handling, in such a way that it becomes a
viable, economically relevant industry. Worldwide, algal biofuel research and
development efforts have focused on increasing the competitiveness of algal biofuels
by increasing the energy and financial return on investments, reducing water intensity and resource requirements, and increasing algal productivity (Herzog et al.
2001).
1.1.1 Interest in Sustainable Development of Algal Biofuel
The aspiration for producing algal biofuel is motivated by the desire to: (1) displace
conventional petroleum-based fuels, which are exhaustible, (2) produce fuels
domestically to reduce energy imports, and (3) reduce greenhouse gas emissions
by cultivating algae that reuse carbon dioxide emitted from industrial facilities. In
theory, algae have the potential to produce a large amount of petroleum fuel
substitutes while avoiding the need for large amounts of fresh water and arable
land. These attributes have created widespread interest in algal biofuels. In practice,
however, profitable algal biofuel production faces several important challenges
(Slade and Bauen 2013).
Microalgae are a large and diverse group of aquatic organisms that lack the
complex cell structures found in higher plants. They can be found in diverse
environments, some species thriving in freshwater, others in saline conditions and
seawater. Most species are photoautotrophic, converting solar energy into chemical
forms through photosynthesis (Elegbedea et al. 2017). Microalgae have received
considerable interest as a potential feedstock for biofuel production because,
depending on the species and cultivation conditions, they can produce useful
quantities of polysaccharides (sugars) and triacylglycerides (fats). These are the
raw materials for producing bioethanol and biodiesel transport fuels. Microalgae
also produce proteins that could be used as a source of animal feed, and some species
can produce commercially valuable compounds such as pigments and
pharmaceuticals (Chisti 2007). There are two main alternatives for cultivating
4
N. Maheshwari et al.