Abstract
Beside evaluating the economic viability of algal biofuels, the impact that the system has on the environment and on the management of resources needs to be addressed as well, that in turn will determine the sustainability in the long term. Algal biofuels are compared to other solar technologies in terms of storage and transport of the generated energy, interaction with the environment, competition with other resources, and reduction in greenhouse gases emission.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Blankenship RE, Tiede DM, Barber J, Brudvig GW, Fleming G, Ghirardi M, Gunner MR, Junge W, Kramer DM, Melis A, Moore TA, Moser CC, Nocera DG, Nozik AJ, Ort DR, Parson WW, Prince RC, Sayre RT (2011) Comparing photosynthetic and photovoltaic efficiencies and recognizing the potential for improvement. Science 332:805–809
Bokinsky G, Peralta-Yahya PP, George A, Holmes BM, Steen EJ, Dietrich J, Lee TS, Tullman-Ercek D, Voigt CA, Simmons BA, Keasling JD (2011) Synthesis of three advanced biofuels from ionic liquid-pretreated switchgrass using engineered Escherichia coli. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 108:19949–19954
Campoccia A, Dusonchet L, Telaretti E, Zizzo G (2009) Comparative analysis of different supporting measures for the production of electrical energy by solar PV and wind systems: four representative European cases. Sol Energy 83:287–297
de Morais MG, Costa JAV (2007) Carbon dioxide fixation by Chlorella kessleri, C-vulgaris, Scenedesmus obliquus and Spirulina sp cultivated in flasks and vertical tubular photobioreactors. Biotechnol Lett 29:1349–1352
Durrett TP, Benning C, Ohlrogge J (2008) Plant triacylglycerols as feedstocks for the production of biofuels. Plant J 54:593–607
Keffer JE, Kleinheinz GT (2002) Use of Chlorella vulgaris for CO(2) mitigation in a photobioreactor. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 29:275–280
Kung Y, Runguphan W, Keasling JD (2012) From fields to fuels: recent advances in the microbial production of biofuels. ACS Synth Bio 1:498–513
Morand P, Briand X, Charlier RH (2006) Anaerobic digestion of Ulva sp 3. Liquefaction juices extraction by pressing and a technico-economic budget. J Appl Phycol 18:741–755
Peralta-Yahya PP, Zhang F, del Cardayre SB, Keasling JD (2012) Microbial engineering for the production of advanced biofuels. Nature 488:320–328
Steen EJ, Kang Y, Bokinsky G, Hu Z, Schirmer A, McClure A, del Cardayre SB, Keasling JD (2010) Microbial production of fatty-acid-derived fuels and chemicals from plant biomass. Nature 463:559–562
Stephens E, Ross IL, Hankamer B (2013) Expanding the microalgal industry – continuing controversy or compelling case? Curr Opin Chem Biol 17:444–452
Strik DPBTB, Timmers RA, Helder M, Steinbusch KJJ, Hamelers HVM, Buisman CJN (2011) Microbial solar cells: applying photosynthetic and electrochemically active organisms. Trends Biotechnol 29:41–49
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Formighieri, C. (2015). Environmental Sustainability of Biofuel Production from Algae. In: Solar-to-fuel conversion in algae and cyanobacteria. SpringerBriefs in Environmental Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16730-5_16
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16730-5_16
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-16729-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-16730-5
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)