Microalgae as a boon for sustainable energy production and its future research & development aspects

Increasing energy demands, predicted fossil fuels shortage in the near future, and environmental concerns such as the production of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide have motivated the search for alternative and cleaner energy sources. Biodiesel has received much attention in recent years and production of biodiesel from microalgae is a newly emerging field. Microalgae possess a high growth rate, utilize solar light water and CO2 to convert these to sugars, from which macromolecules, such as lipids and triacylglycerols (TAGs) can be obtained making microalgae more photosynthetically efficient than oil crops. Microalgae are represented as a potential source of biomass, having great biodiversity and variability in their biochemical composition. This paper presents an overview on microalgae with particular emphasis as a source for biofuel and its other applications. Future research and development aspects regarding microalgae and microalgal fuel production are also discussed. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.