Two-stage culture strategy to enhance both biomass and lipid content of microalgae for biodiesel production

Abstract

The depletion of petroleum reserves, increasing energy demands, rising oil prices and current increase in greenhouse gas emissions associated with global petroleum consumption have made the renewable fuel derived from biomass more attractive (Sheehan in Nat Biotechnol 27(12):1128–1130, 2009). Microalgae are considered as a potential biofuel source thanks to their high lipid content, fast growth in various climates, ability to grow on marginal land and non-competitiveness with food production, the case of other food stocks.