Microalgae, Future Energy Sources

So far, only microalgae used as food for fish larvae in the cultivation process. Who would have thought it microalgae are also likely to be the raw material of bioethanol and biodiesel - an important energy source in the future.

Microalgae potential to be developed as a biofuel feedstock, because the utilization of microalgae does not compete with human food needs. In addition, microalgae contain carbohydrates, essential ingredients needed to produce bioethanol.

"The content of carbohydrates in microalgae range from 5 to 67.9 percent and is expected to generate about 38 percent bioethanol," he said, stressing Assadad, researchers from the National Research and Development of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (Balitbang KP).

In the 86th edition of the publication in Applied Energy, 2009, bioethanol can be made from three main sources: material containing sucrose (sugar cane, sugar beets, sorghum, and fruit), starch (corn, wheat, millet, potato, cassava), and containing lignocellulosic biomass (wood, straw, grass).

"Carbohydrates in microalgae vary, depending on species and environmental conditions of his life," researchers said in Squalen publications, newsletters Postharvest Biotechnology of Marine and Fisheries in 2008. And in the microalgae, carbohydrates located in the cell wall and cytoplasm.

The use of microalgae as a biofuel feedstock has several advantages when compared with food crops:
A. Rapid growth.
2. High productivity - the wheat produced 2500 liters / ha, maize 3500 liters / ha, sugarcane 6,000 liters / ha, microalgae around 20,000 liters / hectare.
3. Can use fresh water and sea water.
4. Not compete with food production.
5. Low water consumption and production costs are not too high.

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