Chapter 13 - Thermochemical conversion of algal biomass

Abstract

Due to the bottlenecks in biofuel energy study, the production of an alternative and sustainable energy source with less environmental impact needs more focus. In general, renewable energy sources are environmentally friendly and could be a potential replacement for conventional energy sources such as fossil fuels and petroleum products. Biomass is considered a significant renewable and sustainable energy resource due to its large abundance and high energy efficiency. In bioenergy conversion technology, microalgae and macroalgae are still completely untapped with their feasibility as a sustainable green energy source. Hence, various energy conversion methods are used for biofuel production, playing an important role in bioenergy technology. Thermochemical conversion is considered a promising approach for bioenergy conversion of algal biomass. There are three thermochemical methods—pyrolysis (heating above 430°C), hydrothermal liquefaction (250°C–550°C), and gasification (above 700°C)—employed to produce biofuels. The thermochemical conversion technique is feasible and addressing the current difficulties of long-chain reaction time, poor conversion efficiency, and high-cost production will enable this technology to become commercially viable. This chapter aims to evaluate the various thermochemical conversions of species of algae. Furthermore, the different production yields of biooils and biooil consistency in other algae species were demonstrated.