Algae Fuel, Algal Biofuel, or Algal Oil Is An: Alternative To Liquid Fossil Fuels Algae

Algae fuel, algal biofuel, or algal oil is an alternative to liquid fossil fuels that uses algae as its
source of energy-rich oils. Also, algae fuels are an alternative to common known biofuel sources,
such as corn and sugarcane.[1][2] Several companies and government agencies are funding efforts
to reduce capital and operating costs and make algae fuel production commercially viable.[3] Like
fossil fuel, algae fuel releases CO2 when burnt, but unlike fossil fuel, algae fuel and other
biofuels only release CO2 recently removed from the atmosphere via photosynthesis as the algae
or plant grew. The energy crisis and the world food crisis have ignited interest in algaculture
(farming algae) for making biodiesel and other biofuels using land unsuitable for agriculture.
Among algal fuels' attractive characteristics are that they can be grown with minimal impact on
fresh water resources,[4][5] can be produced using saline and wastewater, have a high flash point,[6]
and are biodegradable and relatively harmless to the environment if spilled.[7][8] Algae cost more
per unit mass than other second-generation biofuel crops due to high capital and operating costs,
[9]
but are claimed to yield between 10 and 100 times more fuel per unit area.[10] The United
States Department of Energy estimates that if algae fuel replaced all the petroleum fuel in the
United States, it would require 15,000 square miles (39,000 km2), which is only 0.42% of the
U.S. map,[11] or about half of the land area of Maine. This is less than 1⁄7 the area of corn
harvested in the United States in 2000.[12]
Microalgae are becoming important as sourceof biofuel due to the following advantages:
•Can grow rapidly with solar energy conversion efficiency higher than other terrestrial plants
due to their simple structure.
•Oil yield is approximately 30 times more th an the terrestrial oil seed plants.
•Can grow on non-arable land
.
•Can grow in waste, marine and saline water.
•Can use waste CO2sources, thereby, potentially mitigating the release of GHGs into the
atmosphere.
•Cultivation consumes less water than land crops.
Abstract:
Biodiesel is biodegradable, less CO2and NOxemissions. Continuous use of petroleum
sourced fuels is now widely recognized as unsustainable because of depleting supplies and the
contribution of these fuels to the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the environment. Renewable,
carbon neutral, transport fuels are necessary for environmental and economic sustainability.
Algae have emerged as one of the most promising sources for biodiesel production. It can be
inferred that algae grown in CO2-enriched air can be converted to oily substances. Such an
approach can contribute to solve major problems of air pollution resulting from CO2
evolution and future crisis due to a shortage of energy sources. This study was undertaken to
know the proper transesterification, amount of biodiesel production (ester) and physical
properties of biodiesel. In this study we used common species Oedogonium and Spirogyra
to compare the amount of biodiesel production. Algal oil and biodiesel (ester) production was
higher in Oedogoniumthan Spirogyrasp. However, biomass (after oil extraction) was higher in
Spirogyra than Oedogoniumsp. Sediments (glycerine, water and pigments) was higher in
Spirogyrathan Oedogoniumsp. There was no difference of pH between Spirogyraand
Oedogoniumsp. These results indicate that biodiesel can be produced from both species and
Oedogoniumis better source than Spirogyrasp.
Key words: Algal oil, biodiesel, transesterification, glycerine

In the last decades, algae received considerable attention as possible feedstocks for
biofuels and bioenergy contributing to the displacement of fossil fuels. However, to date,
no commercial algae-based biofuel industry exists, mainly because of the lack of
economically viable algae-
to-biofuels production chains. Production of microalgal biofuels
has not yet been demonstrated to be profitable and to date there seems to be no viable
business case as commercial production of microalgal biomass remains a niche
endeavour.
Furthermore, the exploitation of algae for biofuels production still presents significant
challenges to overcome, from the technological, energetic and environmental points of
view. These mainly include the identification and/or development of selected strains,
technologies and plants configurations to enhance the energy returns of the overall
biofuels production chain, while minimizing its related environmental impacts.
Algae have significant potential to support an advanced biofuels industry The goal of the
BETO Advanced Algal Systems Program is to develop cost-effective algal biofuels
production and logistics systems. The program focuses on supporting the growth of the
emerging domestic algae industry and its interest in commercialization for fuels and
products, specifically by reducing costs of production and ensuring the sustainability and
availability of resources.
A recent report from the IEA stressed the crucial role of emerging economies in reducing CO2
emissions, as their growing demand for energy creates a unique opportunity for them to be early
movers in deploying low-carbon technologies. The Indian government is very keen to seize this
opportunity with the establishment of the country’s biofuels industry. Biofuels are not just good
for the climate, they also create jobs, a fact recognized by Nitin Gadkari, Indian Minister of
Road, Transport, Highways and Shipping, who recently described biofuels as “socio-economic
change agents”.
The emergence of biofuels in India has been an uphill struggle that’s slowly getting easier.
India’s vast agricultural sector is a source of abundant biomass but the complex process of
collecting biomass from dispersed farmland that is almost entirely owned by smallholders is
further complicated by a lack of roads between villages. There is also a lack of biomass
collection or storage incentives. In recent months, however, the government has started to
identify and address infrastructure and inter-state trade hurdles, while supporting farmers and
laying plans for better use of feedstock and agricultural waste. These are vital steps as the
country seeks to prioritize biofuels, allowing it to reduce its dependence on petrol and diesel
imports, create jobs and minimize its carbon footprint.
Legislating for the right conditions

The IEA report highlighted the role of governments in stimulating action to target climate
change, stating that the establishment of policy and market frameworks that support innovation
and build investor confidence over the long term are a ‘first-order task to deliver’. In the case of
Indian bioenergy, the emergence of a dynamic industry depends largely on country-wide
mandates and coherent and innovative policies. The Indian government seems to recognize this;
the country has had an E5 ethanol mandate since 2008 and is scheduled to move to E10 as soon
as production allows, with a goal of 20% biofuels blended in transport fuels by 2017. And the
government recently announced plans to strengthen its flexible-fuel policy for the automotive
industry. As a first step, it plans to make an ethanol blend of up to 85% mandatory for petrol and
diesel-powered commercial vehicles nationwide, with the aim of eventually introducing the
mandate to other segments.
While these are very positive steps in the right direction, investors need the reassurance of clear,
long-term mandated targets. India currently lacks a penalty mechanism to ensure the strict
enforcement of mandates, creating an obstacle to behavioral change and a perceived investment
risk. The mandate for ethanol blending needs to increased immediately, a roadmap to achieve the
20% level in the next three to five years has to be formulated, and these mandates need to be
given ‘teeth’ through penalties on non-compliance.
Creating a common platform for change

There is no doubt that biofuels do have the potential to really change the face of energy in India.
According to a recent report from BBVA, the country currently imports 80% of its crude oil
requirements, with oil imports accounting for nearly 32% of its total import bill. Yet an analysis
from Bloomberg found that the country could save $19.4 billion a year by replacing gasoline
imports with ethanol by 2020. But the interest in developing a cellulosic biorefining industry
goes beyond the energy sector to include the chemical industry among others. The government
has a key role to play in kickstarting the industry by bringing together all stakeholders with a
potential interest in unlocking the full potential of cellulosic biorefining. These stakeholders need
a common platform to address varying concerns about availability and cost and reach a
consensus on pricing and usage of cellulosic biofuels and bioproducts.
Stimulating the rural economy

It is essential that we overcome the challenges faced by the Indian biofuel industry if it is to
reach its full potential and become an agent of social change, especially in rural areas. The
Bloomberg analysis estimates that up to one million aggregated jobs in predominantly rural areas
could be created by the Indian cellulosic ethanol industry by 2020. Bioenergy is already creating
jobs in and around Nagpur in central India today, where more than 15,000 young people are
employed in converting agricultural waste into pellets that can be used as cooking fuel in over
1,000 restaurants with special stoves. And these pellets offer other benefits; they represent a
significant saving for consumers as they cost 60% less than conventional cooking fuels, and – as
the waste was previously burned by farmers – they help to reduce the public health problems
associated with this practice.
Bold plans for the future

The Indian government has already shown the kind of innovation – both in terms of policy and in
technologies – that the IEA report claimed could ‘deliver greatest, fastest advances towards
climate change goals’, and it has similarly bold plans for the future, with proposals and plans
including:
 ‘greening’ Haldia port in Eastern India, with biodiesel made at a plant which has just
come online fueling its railway engines, trucks and other vehicles
 introducing biofuels – along with electricity – into New Delhi’s public transport fleet
 running Nagpur city buses on biogas produced with the help of methane generated while
treating sewage water
The importance of emerging economies in reducing CO2 emissions cannot be overstated.

According to the IEA, their uptake of innovative processes accounts for almost three-quarters of
the worldwide direct industrial CO2 emissions reduction required in 2050 to give an 80% chance
of limiting average global temperature increase to 2°C. I believe India’s biofuels industry is a
great example for other emerging economies, proving that – with real commitment from
governments – tackling climate change can have a positive impact at a global, national and local
level.
India today, more than ever before, needs to deploy technologies that are able to
convert the ‘waste’ gen-erated in the country to transportation fuels, as also to
chemicals and materials. Aimed at reduction of petro-leum crude-oil imports and
reduction of green house gas emissions, these technologies will need to be highly
India specific due to the peculiar nature in which the wastes,e.g. agricultural waste
and municipal waste, present themselves across our country. The need therefore
transforms to a situation wherein we need the new generation biofuel technologies
to be ‘made in India’ for a ‘swachh bharat’ and in a way that adds value to the waste
and hence becomes a path to gen-eration of new enterprises in line with the ‘start-
up India’ concept. It is however important, that the coun-try is careful in making a
judicious choice of technolo-gies that are truly sustainable and products that are
truly ‘green’.
Keywords:
Biofuels, energy requirements, renewable resources, sustainable technology

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Algae fuel, algal biofuel, or algal oil is an alternative to liquid fossil fuels that uses algae as its

Key words: Algal oil, biodiesel, transesterification, glycerine

Legislating for the right conditions

Creating a common platform for change

Stimulating the rural economy

Bold plans for the future

The importance of emerging economies in reducing CO2 emissions cannot be overstated.

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