Macroalgae-Derived Biofuel: A Review of Methods of Energy Extraction from Seaweed Biomass

Milledge, John J.; Smith, Benjamin; Dyer, Philip W.; Harvey, Patricia

Abstract

The potential of algal biomass as a source of liquid and gaseous biofuels is a highly topical theme, but as yet there is no successful economically viable commercial system producing biofuel. However, the majority of the research has focused on producing fuels from microalgae rather than from macroalgae. This article briefly reviews the methods by which useful energy may be extracted from macroalgae biomass including: direct combustion, pyrolysis, gasification, trans-esterification to biodiesel, hydrothermal liquefaction, fermentation to bioethanol, fermentation to biobutanol and anaerobic digestion, and explores technical and engineering difficulties that remain to be resolved.

Citation

Milledge, J. J., Smith, B., Dyer, P. W., & Harvey, P. (2014). Macroalgae-Derived Biofuel: A Review of Methods of Energy Extraction from Seaweed Biomass. Energies, 7(11), 7194-7222. https://doi.org/10.3390/en7117194

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 28, 2014
• Online Publication Date: Nov 7, 2014
• Publication Date: Nov 7, 2014
• Deposit Date: Dec 2, 2014
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 3, 2014
• Journal: Energies
• Electronic ISSN: 1996-1073
• Publisher: MDPI
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 7
• Issue: 11
• Pages: 7194-7222
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/en7117194
• Keywords: Seaweed, Macroalgae, Algae, Bioenergy, Pyrolysis, Gasification, Liquefaction, Fermentation, Anaerobic digestion.
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1419054