Microalgae-Based Diesel: A Historical Perspective to Future Directions

Microalgae are one of the biggest promises for biodiesel, which is why leading researchers are looking to advance the science needed to provide a renewable alternative that significantly benefits the fuel sector. However, while some technological advances have been an important step, the still incipient technology still needs to reach the market. In light of difficult predictions of success, this chapter aims to provide a historical perspective of microalgae-based diesel for future directions. Initially, a retrospective of microalgae-based diesel is provided to better understand the benefits of using microalgae over conventional alternative sources. The chapter’s core is the state of the art of microalgae-based diesel, as well as a critical discussion of the mosaic of solutions that can confirm the belief that it is possible to produce diesel from microalgae on a significant commercial scale. Future directions are presented and discussed in this chapter.