Microalgae Biodiesel as a Valuable Alternative to Fossil Fuels

Abstract

The world economic growth causes the excessive use of fossil fuels which are the main sources of environmental pollution and global warming due to the production of carbon dioxide and sulfur compounds. Microalgae biodiesel has been considered as a renewable and sustainable energy source and has the potential to be a suitable alternative to fossil fuels due to reduction of the emission of toxic gas to the atmosphere. Microalgae open a credible new path to biomass production as a sustainable material in biodiesel production. The study of genetic engineering of microalgae and biodiesel extraction as a major biofuel has received significant attention in recent years. There are a number of successive procedures for biodiesel production using microalgae, including obtaining the raw material or fuel required for industrial processes, which includes selection of sufficient microalga species, large-scale culture, collecting cells, extracting oil, and transesterification. In order to decrease the yield cost, there should be technological advancements and process improvement. The current study is a brief review of microalgae biodiesel production with the goal of replacing fossil fuel.