The advancement of algal biomass: A review

Renewable energy sources such as biomass are becoming more and more important as alternative to fossil fuels. One of the most exciting new sources of biomass is microalgae. One of the major obstacles in the commercial production of microalgae as feedstock for biomass-to-liquid fuels, is the development of energy efficient and cost effective harvesting methods for the separation of micro-algal biomass from its growth medium. The problem of water shortage and lack of energy have become key restricting factors for the economic development of the world. Biomass energy due to its renewability, low pollution and other advantages is considered as the most potential products to alleviate the water pollution and energy crisis. Algae, the third generation of biomass, have many advantages such as wide distribution, high oil content, strong environment adaptability, short growth cycle and low production cost. Thus the use of algae biomass has attracted more and more attention. This paper describes the progress of the algae biomass energy research, the key issues and trends in the industrial process.