Microalgal Biomass for Bioenergy Applications

Book excerpt: Microalgal Biomass for Bioenergy Applications presents current methods, practical applications, and research trends on diverse biofuel products from microalgae. This comprehensive book provides analyses of microalgal biology, chemical and molecular engineering techniques to scale-up algal biomass processes and biofuels conversion, and economic feasibility of value-added bioenergy co-products from a variety of microalgal strains. Sections cover microalgal biomass availability, suitability, potential for biofuel applications, scientific and methodical aspects of biomass harvesting, sustainable and commercial applications of microalgal biofuels, including LCA, and the technological limitations and future perspectives on microalgal biofuels. Each section offers in-depth knowledge on the fundamental and practical aspects with reference to biofuels and bioenergy production from microalgae. This book will be a valuable update for students, researchers and industry professionals working in bioenergy, and will be of interest to microbial and environmental scientists and phycologists interested in practical applications for microalgae. - Reviews all aspects of microalgal biodiversity and its structure in context of cultivation, conversation, harvesting and advantages over other conventional biomass - Examines key steps and integrated approaches to enhance biofuels production from microalgae - Explains the fundamentals, practical aspects, and scale-up techniques for the production of biogas, bioethanol, biodiesel, biohydrogen and biobutanol from microalgal biomass - Includes breakthroughs, recent advances and challenges in microalgal biomass processing as feedstock for renewable biofuels - Analyzes chemical and molecular engineering techniques to scale-up algal biomass processes and biofuels conversion, and the economic feasibility of value-added bioenergy co-products from a variety of microalgal strains