Microalgae for biobutanol production – Technology evaluation and value proposition

The depletion of petroleum and fossil fuels and the escalating problem of climate change motivate and compel an ongoing effort focusing on the development of renewable energy in the form of biofuels. Biobutanol is one such potent biofuel, attributing to similar characteristics as of gasoline, which manifests in easier public distribution based on the current oil and gas infrastructure. Also, the development of the third-generation biofuels sourced from cultivation of microalgae seems an outright promising prospect for renewable energy sources. This is mainly because of its inherent advantages in comparison to the previous methods of biofuel production from crops and plant waste. However, in spite of the ongoing efforts, the research targeting towards biobutanol production utilizing microalgal resources is insufficient. Working on the strengths of both may provide the much needed boost for the thriving biofuel industry, ultimately aiding to cope with global energy demand and reduce CO2 emissions. In this review, the design and selection of a complete industrial scale biobutanol production plant, using microalgae as the feedstock, have been proposed. Advances in bioprocess technologies for biobutanol production via fermentation and biobutanol recovery methods are described. In addition, comparative analyses of biobutanol versus petroleum diesel and biodiesel, and strategies for biobutanol cum lipid and methane gas manufacturing are also discussed.