Algal biology and biofuel production

Microalgae are single-celled photosynthetic organisms that can accumulate large quantities of lipids under certain stress conditions, making them a promising feedstock for biodiesel and other liquid fuels. Unlike terrestrial crops, they grow rapidly, require no arable land, and can be cultivated on wastewater streams, simultaneously removing excess nutrients while producing biomass. Researchers are working to understand the genomic and metabolic controls governing lipid accumulation, and to develop harvesting and processing methods that bring the overall energy balance and cost of algal fuel into a commercially viable range. Key open questions include how to efficiently scale cultivation systems such as photobioreactors without prohibitive energy input, and which combinations of strain engineering and growth conditions will reliably maximize fuel yield.

Works

127,247

Total citations

2,464,404

Keywords

BiodieselMicroalgaeBiofuelsProductionHarvestingGenome Analysis