Hanifa Taher
Masdar Institute of Science and Technology,UAE
Title: Green production of biodiesel from microalgae lipids
Biography
Biography: Hanifa Taher
Abstract
Biodiesel production from lipids-rich feedstocks is potentially an acceptable and suitable substitute to petroleum diesel. The re-shaping of the available technologies to greener alternatives is needed for fuel production. To produce a sustainable fuel that reduces dependency on fossil fuels, and utilize a feedstock that does not compete with food stock, and, at same time, contributes to the reduction of CO2 emissions, microalgae lipids were suggested. Utilization of microalgae as a feedstock for biodiesel production is well known worldwide, but the production process is not yet economical, where the biodiesel cost from microalgae is still high compared to petroleum diesel, which is associated from the down-streaming cost. The green extraction and reaction processes could be viable and utilization of the proteins in the leftover biomass pharmaceutical and food applications could justify such high costly processes. Extraction of microalgae lipids using green solvents; such as supercritical CO2 and ionic liquids eliminates the need for using toxic organic chemicals. Moreover, integrating microalgae lipids extraction with enzymatic transesterification in one unit renders the use of such expensive process. However, these still needs extensive studies and developments before being commercialized. Such researches could lead to a major development in sustainable biodiesel production, especially if the leftover biomass can be used for pharmaceutical applications.