Photobioreactors for bioenergy systems and lipid extraction methods from microalgae

Abstract

Biofuels, especially those derived from plant materials, are being heavily investigated as an alternative to fossil fuels. Unfortunately, issues related to the use of food crops and arable land have plagued biofuel production efforts. In response, algae are touted as a suitable biofuel feedstock: they exhibit high growth rates, readily metabolize fossil fuel combustion products, and thrive well in marginal environments or intensive systems. Despite this, the efficiencies of the current algal production systems, their scalability, and the eventual price of the final product still require much research. The following review will attempt to chronicle the evolution of algal photobioreactors and also discusses the methodologies for oil extraction through the current state-of-the-art technologies. In particular, it aims to identify the contemporary and emerging issues involved in culturing algae for nutrient recycling and production of biofuels and ultimately compile and highlight the proposed solutions for the optimization of these systems.