TITLE:
Micro Algae: A Potential Source of Biodiesel
AUTHORS:
Shalini Rajvanshi, Mahendra Pal Sharma
KEYWORDS:
Microalgal Species; Cultivation; Harvesting; Oil Extraction and Biodiesel Production
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Sustainable Bioenergy Systems,
Vol.2 No.3,
September
25,
2012
ABSTRACT: The economic development of the world is highly dependent on fossil fuel supplies which are constrained not only by limited availability but also generate high levels of pollution. Looking at the limited fossil fuel associated with problems, concerted efforts have been started to search for alternative bio fuels like bio ethanol and biodiesel. Since the diesel is being used massively in industrial commercial, agriculture and other sectors. Therefore, the production and utilization of biodiesel from oil seeds crops has been getting renewed interest in recent years in the India to overcome the demerits of oil from oil seed crops. The production of biodiesel from micro-algae has several advantages over the above re- sources due to higher algal biomass and oil productivities and the need of non-arable land for its growth. Industrial and municipal wastewaters can be potentially utilized for cultivation of micro algal oil that can be used for the production of biodiesel to completely displace petro diesel. The micro algal biomass has been reported to yield high oil contents and have the diesel production. Accordingly, lot of R & D work has been initiated for the growth, harvesting, oil extraction and conversion to biodiesel.