Energy from Microalgae (eBook)

This book presents an authoritative and comprehensive overview of the production and use of microalgal biomass and bioproducts for energy generation. It also offers extensive information on engineering approaches to energy production, such as process integration and process intensification in harnessing energy from microalgae. 

Issues related to the environment, food, chemicals and energy supply pose serious threats to nations' success and stability. The challenge to provide for a rapidly growing global population has made it imperative to find new technological routes to increase the production of consumables while also bearing in mind the biosphere's ability to regenerate resources. Microbial biomass is a bioresource that provides effective solutions to these challenges.

Divided into eight parts, the book explores microalgal production systems, life cycle assessment and the bio-economy of biofuels from microalgae, process integration and process intensification applied to microalgal biofuels production. In addition, it discusses the main fuel products obtained from microalgae, summarizing a range of useful energy products derived from algae-based systems, and outlines future developments. Given the book's breadth of coverage and extensive bibliography, it offers an essential resource for researchers and industry professionals working in renewable energy.

Prof. Eduardo Jacob-Lopes is currently associate professor at the Department of Food Technology and Science, Federal University of Santa Maria. He graduated with a Masters in Food Engineering in Federal University of Rio Grande, doctorate in Chemical Engineering from State University of Campinas and post-doctoral at State University of Campinas. He has more than 15 years of teaching and research experience. He is a technical and scientific consultant of several companies, agencies and scientific journals. He has 380 publications/communications which include 3 books, 17 book chapters, 70 original research papers, 280 research communications in international and national conferences and has registered 11 patents. His research interest includes environmental biotechnology with emphasis on microalgal biotechnology.

Prof. Leila Queiroz Zepka is currently associate professor at the Department of Food Technology and Science, Federal University of Santa Maria. She graduated with a Masters in Food Engineering in Federal University of Rio Grande and a doctorate in Food Science from State University of Campinas. She has more than 15 years of teaching and research experience. She is a technical and scientific consultant of several companies, agencies and scientific journals. She has 340 publications/communications which include 3 books, 14 book chapters, 60 original research papers, 250 research communications in international and national conferences and has registered 7 patents. Her research interest includes microalgal biotechnology with emphasis on biomolecules and natural pigments. 

Prof. Maria Isabel Queiroz is currently senior professor at the Department of Chemistry and Food, Federal University of Rio Grande. She graduated in oceanography at Federal University of Rio Grande, with a Masters in Food Technology in State University of Campinas and a doctorate in Biotechnology from Federal University of Pelotas. She has more than 30 years of teaching and research experience. She is a technical and scientific consultant of several companies, agencies and scientific journals. She has more of 500 publications/communications which include 7 books, 7 book chapters, 100 original research papers, 350 research communications in international and national conferences. Her research interest includes microalgal biotechnology with emphasis on bioprocesses.