Systematic review and perspective on the progress of algal biofuels

¹ Reading Academy, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210095, China
² Reading Academy, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210095, China
³ College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
⁴ College of Environment and Life Sciences, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
⁵ Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, PR China.

^* Corresponding author: wangwm17@mails.jlu.edu.cn (Wenmin Wang)
^† These authors contributed equally.

Abstract

In recognition of the increasing demand of energy and the worsening environmental problems linked with fossil fuels usage, algal biofuel has been proposed as one of the alternative energy sources. It has become one of the hottest topics in renewable energy field in the new century, especially over the past decade. In this review, we summarized the characteristics of different types of algae biofuels. Besides, an in-depth evaluation of the systematic cultivation and practical application of algae have been conducted. Although algal biofuel has a great potential, its unacceptably high cost limits the large-scale industrialization. In order to resolve such restrictions, feasible methods of improving the large scale production and practical application of algal biofuels are proposed. Future efforts should be focused not only on the cost reduction and innovation techniques, but also towards high value by-products to maximize economic benefits. Our results are dedicated to provide valuable references for subsequent research and guidelines on algae biofuels field.