Microalgae : The Future Fuel ( Review )

Petroleum prices are increasing day by day and for fueling we are completely dependent on the fossil fuels. Sources of fossil fuels are depleting continuously due to the increasing demand of petroleum products. Renewable carbon neutral transport fuels are necessary for environmental and economic sustainability. There are many options in this area, but unlike solar, nuclear, and fossil fuels, biofuels such as bioethanol, biodiesel, and green diesel have the capability of providing a fuel source ideally suitable for existing infrastructure within the transportation industry. Biodiesel, when blended with petroleum diesel, can be used in unmodified diesel engines. It has higher lubricity than petroleum diesel, so it helps provide for greater longevity within diesel engines. There is currently great interest in using microalgae for the production of biofuels, mainly due to the fact that microalgae can produce biofuels at a much higher productivity than conventional plants and that they can be cultivated using water, in particular seawater, and land not competing for resources with conventional agriculture. The main focus of this review article is to illustrate the role of microalgae in the production of biofuels, their biosynthesis, commercial production, extraction and purification. KeywordsMicroalgae, Biofuels, Methane, Hydrogen, alternative energy.