Algae Biofuels as a Possible Alternative to Environmentally Doubtful Conventional Methods of Biodiesel Production

Abstract

In last 10 years there was significant rise in transportation fuel consumption in Europe from 180 Mt in 1985. to 270 Mt in 2004., with gasoline representing 40% and diesel 60%. To decrease dependence upon imported fossil fuels, EU aim is to introduce biodiesel in share of 5.75% in transportation sector until 2010. and finally 8% until 2020. Because of limited production potential from some EU countries, today and in near future, large quotas of import would be required. Biodiesel is often called clean, ecological and renewable alternative fuel, but with present land-intensive methods of production it could easily be named as one of the most dangerous sources of energy for Earth's ecosystem. Main threat from large scale biofuels utilization comes from deforestation of land that is needed for cultivation of crops. Every year large areas of rainforests in South East Asia and South America are irretrievably lost due to increasing demand. Combustion of wood and oxidation of peat during drying emits enormous quantities of CO2 into the atmosphere which is contrary to biodiesel appellation as "CO2 balanced fuel". Unlike conventional crops that are used for production of biodiesel (rapeseed, soybean, palm etc.), possible production from algae would significantly lower unit of land needed for biofuel production. Contemporary researches give some estimation of about 25 times greater yield than palm plantation and 100 times over rapeseed, which is common biodiesel production crop in EU. Regarding lately high world oil prices, greater investment in researches upon algae, as a new source of biofuel, are bringing technological solutions for economically production start-up.