ABSTRACT
Globally, people are facing various problems such as climatic changes, global warming effects, and also oil supply crises. Biofuels are in demand in order to reduce gaseous emissions such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and sulfur oxides. Biofuels are produced from different crops such as soybean, sunflower, and palm. However, the use of algae can be a suitable alternative biomass feedstock for biofuel production because of its accumulation of high amounts of oils which could be extracted, processed, and refined into transportation fuels using available technology. Algae have a fast growth rate, permit the use of non-arable land and non-potable water, use far less water, and do not compete with food crops; their production is not seasonal, and they can be harvested on a daily basis. Further, algal species accumulate high amounts of lipids and fatty acids under various culture parameters. Select the best algal species for biofuel production depends on growth, biomass yield, and lipids and fatty acids production. This book chapter provides information on biomass and lipid and fatty acid production of various algal species such as Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyta, Cryptophyta, Cynophyta, Dinoflagellata, Haptophyta, Eustigatophyceae, Ochrophyta, Rhodophyta, and Labyrinthulomycota for biofuel applications. Further culture parameters and nutrients for algal growth; cultivation of algae in photoautotrophic, heterotrophic, and mixotrophic for biomass and lipid production; downstream processing; and industrial feasibility of algae are provided.
