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Biofuel and Bioenergy Production from Microalgae

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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "A4: Bio-Energy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 June 2023) | Viewed by 22209
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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Rocio Maceiras

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Guest Editor

Defense University Center at the Spanish Naval Academy, Plaza de España s/n, 36920 Marín, Pontevedra, Spain
Interests: renewable energies; biodiesel; bioethanol hydrogen; algae; carbon dioxide capture
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Microalgal biofuels are a promising alternative to fossil fuels. Microalgae biomass can be converted into biofuels from two different routes: biochemical conversion and thermochemical conversion. The development of a suitable conversion approach is one of the key challenges for the economic viability and the sustainability of biofuel production.

This Special Issue of Energies invites manuscripts from authors who develop biofuels and/or bioenergy from microalgae. High-quality original papers that explore areas of microalgae cultivation and harvesting, biofuels or bioenergy production are sought. Reviews that provide emerging solutions and visions for future research activities are also invited to contribute to this Special Issue. Topics of interest for publication include but are not limited to:

Microalgae-based biofuels and bioproducts;
Emerging technologies in algae biofuel production;
Biohydrogen production from microalgae;
Wastewater-based algae biofuel production;
Harvesting of microalgae: overview of process options and their strengths and drawbacks;
Economics of microalgae cultivation, biofuels, and bioenergy production.

Prof. Dr. Rocio Maceiras
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Biofuels
Bioenergy
Microalgae cultivation
Harvesting
Extraction
Biomass

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 6299 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Indicators of Engine Performance Powered by a Biofuel Blend Produced from Microalgal Biomass: A Step towards the Decarbonization of Transport

by Patryk Ratomski, Małgorzata Hawrot-Paw, Adam Koniuszy, Wojciech Golimowski, Andrzej Kwaśnica and Damian Marcinkowski

Energies 2023, 16(14), 5376; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en16145376 - 14 Jul 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1021

Abstract

According to the EU Directive, the so-called RED II, there is increasing significance for biofuels produced from biomass with low indirect land use change (ILUC) risk. Such an alternative and sustainable feedstock could be microalgae, among others, used for biodiesel production. This is due to the high lipid content of their cells and their potential ability to accumulate significant amounts of carbon dioxide in their biomass, which has a positive effect on the carbon footprint of the product. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of adding algal biodiesel to conventional diesel fuel on selected performance parameters of a diesel engine, taking into account the composition of the emitted exhaust gas. Energy-related engine performance parameters such as power, hourly and specific fuel consumption, engine thermal efficiency, and indicated efficiency were determined. No significant differences were found in the energy parameters of engine operation with the fuels tested. In terms of carbon monoxide and NOx emissions, at the highest engine torque, more favorable parameters were obtained for fuel with biodiesel produced from rapeseed oil (B/RME). Under the same conditions, carbon dioxide emissions for the fuel with the addition of biodiesel from microalgae (B/Algae) were 8.1% lower. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biofuel and Bioenergy Production from Microalgae)

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14 pages, 1274 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fatty Acid Profile of Microalgal Oils as a Criterion for Selection of the Best Feedstock for Biodiesel Production

by Małgorzata Hawrot-Paw, Patryk Ratomski, Adam Koniuszy, Wojciech Golimowski, Mirosława Teleszko and Anna Grygier

Energies 2021, 14(21), 7334; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14217334 - 04 Nov 2021

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 2347

Abstract

Microalgae are considered to be potentially attractive feedstocks for biodiesel production, mainly due to their fast growth rate and high oil content accumulated in their cells. In this study, the suitability for biofuel production was tested for Chlorella vulgaris, Chlorella fusca, Oocystis submarina, and Monoraphidium strain. The effect of nutrient limitation on microalgae biomass growth, lipid accumulation, ash content, fatty acid profile, and selected physico-chemical parameters of algal biodiesel were analysed. The study was carried out in vertical tubular photobioreactors of 100 L capacity. The highest biomass content at 100% medium dose was found for Monoraphidium 525 ± 29 mg·L⁻¹. A 50% reduction of nutrients in the culture medium decreased the biomass content by 23% for O. submarina, 19% for Monoraphidium, 13% for C. vulgaris and 9% for C. fusca strain. Nutrient limitation increased lipid production and reduced ash content in microalgal cells. The highest values were observed for Oocystis submarina, with a 90% increase in lipids and a 45% decrease in ash content in the biomass under stress conditions. The fatty acid profile of particular microalgae strains was dominated by palmitic, oleic, linoleic, and linoleic acids. Nutrient stress increased the amount of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids affecting the quality of biodiesel, but this was determined by the type of strain. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biofuel and Bioenergy Production from Microalgae)

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10 pages, 962 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Microwave Assisted Alkaline Pretreatment of Algae Waste in the Production of Cellulosic Bioethanol

by Rocío Maceiras, Víctor Alfonsín, Luis Seguí and Juan F. González

Energies 2021, 14(18), 5891; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14185891 - 17 Sep 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1742

Abstract

Biomass pretreatment has an important role in the production of cellulosic bioethanol. In this study, the effectiveness of microwave assisted alkaline pretreatment of algae waste was analysed. After pretreatment, the product was hydrolysed using sulphuric acid. The effects of microwave power, irradiating time, solid–liquid ratio and NaOH concentration were examined. Under the best conditions, the fermentable sugars were converted to cellulosic bioethanol using Saccharomyces Cerevisiae with a bioethanol yield of 1.93 ± 0.01 g/g and a fermentation efficiency of 40.4%. The reducing sugars concentration was 30% higher than that obtained from conventional hydrolysis without pretreatment. The obtained results suggest that microwave assisted alkaline pretreatment is effective in improving the production of cellulosic bioethanol of algae waste compared to that without microwave effect. Considering energy consumption, low microwave power and short microwave irradiation time are favourable for this pretreatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biofuel and Bioenergy Production from Microalgae)

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21 pages, 4138 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cultivation of Autochthonous Microalgae for Biomass Feedstock: Growth Curves and Biomass Characterization for Their Use in Biorefinery Products

by Juan Félix González, Teresa Belén Cuello, Antonio José Calderón, Manuel Calderón, Jerónimo González and Diego Carmona

Energies 2021, 14(15), 4567; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14154567 - 28 Jul 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2176

Abstract

In this work, the biomass productivity for biorefinery products and growth curves of three autochthonous microalgae collected in different reservoirs (“Scenedesmus sp.” (SSP), mixture of Scenedesmus sp., Chlorella minutissima, Chlorellas sp. and Nannochloropsis sp. named “La Orden” (LO) consortium and Chlorella minutissima named “Charca Brovales” (CB) consortium) were studied in a 5.5 L column laboratory photobioreactor. Two different culture media, Arnon culture (AM) and an agriculture fertilizer-based liquid medium (FM), have been used to evaluate the growth effect of the microalgae; it was found that the medium has a clear effect on the biomass productivity and growth rate, which ranged between 0.26–0.498 g L⁻¹ d⁻¹ and 0.288–0.864 d⁻¹, respectively. In general, the elemental analysis and higher heating value of microalgae biomass for the three species were independent of the culture medium used for its growth, while their lipids and sugars content depended upon the species type and culture medium used in the cultivation. “La Orden” microalga was selected (given its best adaption to the climatic conditions) to study the biomass productivity and growth rate in two exterior photobioreactors (100 L column and 400 L flat panel), using FM as a medium, obtaining values of 0.116–0.266 g L⁻¹ d⁻¹ and 0.360–0.312 d⁻¹, respectively. An automation and control system was designed to operate the exterior photobioreactors pilot plant. The lipid content of this microalga in these photobioreactors was lower than in the laboratory one, with a fatty acids profile with predominantly palmitic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids. Also, the fresh biomass collected from these photobioreactors was studied in a batch type digestion process for biogas production, obtaining a CH₄ yield of 296 ± 23 L CH₄ kg_VSS⁻¹ added with a reduction in percentage of COD and vs. of 50 ± 1% and 50 ± 1.7%, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biofuel and Bioenergy Production from Microalgae)

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Review

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48 pages, 3341 KiB

Open AccessReview

Bioenergy, Biofuels, Lipids and Pigments—Research Trends in the Use of Microalgae Grown in Photobioreactors

by Daniel Borowiak and Małgorzata Krzywonos

Energies 2022, 15(15), 5357; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15155357 - 24 Jul 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2521

Abstract

This scientometric review and bibliometric analysis aimed to characterize trends in scientific research related to algae, photobioreactors and astaxanthin. Scientific articles published between 1995 and 2020 in the Web of Science and Scopus bibliographic databases were analyzed. The article presents the number of scientific articles in particular years and according to the publication type (e.g., articles, reviews and books). The most productive authors were selected in terms of the number of publications, the number of citations, the impact factor, affiliated research units and individual countries. Based on the number of keyword occurrences and a content analysis of 367 publications, seven leading areas of scientific interest (clusters) were identified: (1) techno-economic profitability of biofuels, bioenergy and pigment production in microalgae biorefineries, (2) the impact of the construction of photobioreactors and process parameters on the efficiency of microalgae cultivation, (3) strategies for increasing the amount of obtained lipids and obtaining biodiesel in Chlorella microalgae cultivation, (4) the production of astaxanthin on an industrial scale using Haematococcus microalgae, (5) the productivity of biomass and the use of alternative carbon sources in microalgae culture, (6) the effect of light and carbon dioxide conversion on biomass yield and (7) heterotrophy. Analysis revealed that topics closely related to bioenergy production and biofuels played a dominant role in scientific research. This publication indicates the directions and topics for future scientific research that should be carried out to successfully implement economically viable technology based on microalgae on an industrial scale. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biofuel and Bioenergy Production from Microalgae)

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27 pages, 1812 KiB

Open AccessReview

Microalgal Hydrogen Production in Relation to Other Biomass-Based Technologies—A Review

by Marcin Dębowski, Magda Dudek, Marcin Zieliński, Anna Nowicka and Joanna Kazimierowicz

Energies 2021, 14(19), 6025; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14196025 - 22 Sep 2021

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3723

Abstract

Hydrogen is an environmentally friendly biofuel which, if widely used, could reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide emissions. The main barrier to the widespread use of hydrogen for power generation is the lack of technologically feasible and—more importantly—cost-effective methods of production and storage. So far, hydrogen has been produced using thermochemical methods (such as gasification, pyrolysis or water electrolysis) and biological methods (most of which involve anaerobic digestion and photofermentation), with conventional fuels, waste or dedicated crop biomass used as a feedstock. Microalgae possess very high photosynthetic efficiency, can rapidly build biomass, and possess other beneficial properties, which is why they are considered to be one of the strongest contenders among biohydrogen production technologies. This review gives an account of present knowledge on microalgal hydrogen production and compares it with the other available biofuel production technologies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biofuel and Bioenergy Production from Microalgae)

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23 pages, 1362 KiB

Open AccessReview

Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS) as Microalgal Bioproducts: A Review of Factors Affecting EPS Synthesis and Application in Flocculation Processes

by Wioleta Babiak and Izabela Krzemińska

Energies 2021, 14(13), 4007; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14134007 - 02 Jul 2021

Cited by 67 | Viewed by 7352

Abstract

Microalgae are natural resources of intracellular compounds with a wide spectrum of applications in, e.g., the food industry, pharmacy, and biofuel production. The extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) released by microalgal cells are a valuable bioproduct. Polysaccharides, protein, lipids, and DNA are the main constituents of EPS. This review presents the recent advances in the field of the determinants of the synthesis of extracellular polymeric substances by microalgal cells and the EPS structure. Physical and chemical culture conditions have been analyzed to achieve useful insights into the development of a strategy optimizing EPS production by microalgal cells. The application of microalgal EPS for flocculation and mechanisms involved in this process are also discussed in terms of biomass harvesting. Additionally, the ability of EPS to remove toxic heavy metals has been analyzed. With their flocculation and sorption properties, microalgal EPS are a promising bioproduct that can potentially be used in harvesting algal biomass and wastewater management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biofuel and Bioenergy Production from Microalgae)

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