In 1942 Harder and Von Witsch were the first to propose that microalgae be grown as a source of lipids for food or fuel. Following World War II, research began in the US, Germany, … See more

Algae can be converted into various types of fuels, depending on the production technologies and the part of the cells used. The lipid, or oily part of the algae biomass can be extracted and converted into biodiesel through a process similar to that used for any … See more

Light is what algae primarily need for growth as it is the most limiting factor. Many companies are investing for developing systems … See more

After harvesting the algae, the biomass is typically processed in a series of steps, which can differ based on the species and desired product; this … See more

Algal oil is used as a source of fatty acid supplementation in food products, as it contains mono- and polyunsaturated fats, in particular EPA and DHA. Its DHA content is roughly equivalent to that of salmon based fish oil. See more

Research into algae for the mass-production of oil focuses mainly on microalgae (organisms capable of photosynthesis that are less than 0.4 mm in diameter, including … See more

Algae grow much faster than food crops, and can produce hundreds of times more oil per unit area than conventional crops such as rapeseed, palms, soybeans, or jatropha. As algae have a harvesting cycle of 1–10 days, their cultivation permits several harvests in … See more