Microalgal-Based Drop-in Biofuel Production

Microalgae are photosynthetic microorganisms that show potential for biofuel production due to their ability to accumulate large quantities of neutral lipids. From a climate perspective, microalgae are valued as a biofuel feedstock because they use the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide as a carbon source. The production of microalgal-based drop-in biofuel requires four main steps: cultivation, harvesting and dewatering, extraction, and conversion. Over the years, the processes used to produce microalgal biofuels have improved, taking advantage of the unique characteristics of microalgae, but there is much improvement. The primary challenge in the implementation of industrial microalgal biofuel production systems is the cost of production, which cannot be solved simply.