Biomass, Biofuels, Biochemicals: Biofuels from Algae

The irreverent use of fossil fuels has eventually lead us to climate change affecting thousands of people around the world. The use of renewable and sustainable biofuels can help reduce greenhouse gasses (GHG) emissions and the use of microalgae can also be linked to carbon sequestration and storage. Microalgae are unicellular photosynthetic microorganisms capable of fixing atmospheric CO2.. The energy rich components of microalgae, like carbohydrates and lipids can be converted into both liquid and gaseous biofuels via a number of conversion methods like chemical, biochemical and thermo chemical methods.

Biofuels from Algae, Second Edition provides up to date information on strategies for commercial microalgae based biofuel production including cultivation, pre-treatment, conversion methods and discusses related valuable by-products that could be obtained in the process. The book discusses methods for producing microalgal biomass on large scale by outdoor culturing and outlines new technologies for the use of this biomass following the biorefinery approach. The production of high value-low volume compounds like pigments and polyunsaturated fatty acids, when integrated with biofuel production can greatly improve the economics of biofuel production. It also explains how modern genetic engineering of microalgae enables the generation of recombinant strains that generate higher quantities of feedstock. The complete utilization of microalgal biomass, which can also be obtained from valorising nutrient s from wastewater and industrial exhaust gases, can be efficiently converted to energy rich biofuels and high value pharmaceuticals in a well defined biorefinery.

Includes all the current state of the art technologies for the cultivation and conversion of energy rich microalgal biomass into biofuelsProvides up to date information on all the conversion methods – biochemical and thermochemical conversionsCovers information regarding the other high value products from microalgae and less conventional applications such as fine chemical production and aviation fuel generationDiscusses in a concise way the economics of microalgal biofuel production and accomplishing cost competitive biofuel production from microalgae in a biorefinery approach

1. Introduction to algal fuels 2. Culture media for mass production of microalgae 3. Microalgal strain selection for biofuel production 4. Algal biomass harvesting 5. Algal culture and biofuel production using wastewater 6. Metabolic engineering and molecular biotechnology of microalgae for fuel production 7. Open pond systems for microalgal culture 8. Design of photobioreactors for algal culture 9. Heterotrophic production of algal oils 10. Flocculation and electroflocculation for algal biomass recovery 11. Algal oils as fuels 12. Production of biohydrogen from microalgae 13. Production of potential co-products from microalgae 14. Applications of spent algal biomass 15. Hydrothermal upgradation of algae into value-added hydrocarbons 16. Scale-up and commercialization of algal cultivation and biofuel production 17. Life-cycle assessment of microalgal biofuels 18. Economics of microalgae biomass production