Production of Biodiesel from Microalgae

Fossil fuels have been highly decreased in the last years, and new options are being required to meet future population demands while reducing greenhouse gas pollution. Biofuels are being applied, and the European Union and other countries have already taken actions such as tax deductions and other policies to encourage biofuels and reduce the utilization of carbon fuels. Microalgae study has expanded in recent years due to the several applications that could be implemented through these photosynthetic microorganisms. Microalgae are autotrophic microorganisms that have a large photosynthetic efficiency and are found in both the sea and on land. Microalgae are a significant source of oils and other biochemicals that could be used in the production of biofuels and other valuable products because they offer more several benefits than traditional biofuel feedstocks. Algal biofuels are receiving a lot of attention as experts predict that crude oil prices will greatly increase. This thesis provides an overview of the phases involved in converting microalgae for biodiesel production, such as selecting an appropriate microalgal strain for large-scale outdoor cultivation, varying strategies used for algal biomass production, methods of harvesting algae and lipid extraction, converting the extracted lipids into biodiesel, the benefits of microalgae for biodiesel production and the process's economics and how they can be significantly reduced by using a biorefinery-based production strategy, enhancing microalgae efficiency by genetic engineering, and developments in bioreactor engineering.