Algal Biodiesel Chemical Characterization

Algae have been produced or evaluated as a nutritional supplement inanimal husbandry, rather than as an alternative energy source for many years. As aresult of biomass energy research, which has accelerated in recent years with theimpact of rising oil prices, algae have started to be seen as a promising energy source.Despite being successful in laboratory research, pilot, and small-scale experiments, alsocalled third-generation biofuel technologies and aiming to use many algae species innature as an energy source, the desired yield cannot be obtained if ideal processescannot be created in large-scale local productions. In general, algae may contain about15-77% fat although the volume varies by species. Compared to other oil plants, theirhigh oil content and growth efficiency make algae attractive for biodiesel and biogasproduction. The production of these fuels from algae has the potential to respond to theincreasing global energy need and, in part, to contribute to the prevention of globalwarming by converting more than enough carbon dioxide in the atmosphere intoefficient products through photosynthesis.