Microbial oil for biodiesel production

Abstract

Even if there is no consensus in the scientific community that climatic changes are related to the burning of fossil fuels, the extraction and use of fossil fuels is causing an imbalance of trade balances in several countries.Besides, there is the monopolization of economic power in the hands of a few countries.In this context, the diversification of energy matrixes around the world is of vital importance.Renewable energies, such as solar, wind, nuclear, and others appear as interesting alternatives, depending on the specific characteristics of the energy matrix of each country.Among the economy sectors that need improvements is transportation (i.e., freight and passenger transport).Only this sector consumes about one-third of all energy produced in the world, and is probably the most dependent of fossil fuels these days.The development of liquid biofuels with physico-chemical characteristics and similar prices to those derive from petroleum is the great challenge.This chapter presents a view of the biodiesel production and perspectives and the example of one Brazilian technology for biodiesel production from oleaginous yeast.