Algal Biodiesel Characteristics & Properties

Nature gave us oil from algae; perhaps we should try Nature’s way again

The Biodiesel from algae in itself is not significantly different from biodiesel produced from vegetable/plant oils. All biodiesel essentially are produced using triglycerides (commonly called fats) from the plant/algal oils.

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Some differences could exist, though:

  • Algae produce a lot of polyunsaturates, which may present a stability problem since higher levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids tend to decrease the stability of biodiesel.. But polyunsaturates also have much lower melting points than monounsaturates or saturates, thus algal biodiesel should have much better cold weather properties than many other bio-feedstock. Since one of the disadvantages of biodiesel is their relatively poor performance in cold temperatures, it appears that algal biodiesel might score well on this point.
  • The most significant different is is however in the yield of algal oil, and hence biodiesel. According to some estimates, the yield (per Acre say) of oil from algae is over 200 times the yield from the best-performing plant/vegetable oils.

Summary of advantages of biodiesel produced from algae

  • Higher yield and hence – hopefully – lower cost
  • Algae can grow practically in every place where there is enough sunshine
  • The biodiesel production from algae also has the beneficial by-product of reducing carbon and NOx Emissions from power plants, if the algae are grown using exhausts from the power plants.
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Other Related Sections

Blue Green Algae, Red Algae, Green Algae, Marine Algae, String Algae, Pond Algae, Pond Algae Control, Algae Control

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Some interesting resources

 

  • Plant Oils Database – provides resources and links for over 200 different plant oils and related plant extracts

 Agriculture Directories


About Oilgae - Oilgae - Oil & Biodiesel from Algae has a focus on biodiesel production from algae while also discussing alternative energy in general. Algae present an exciting possibility as a feedstock for biodiesel, and when you realise that oil was originally formed from algae - among others - you think "Hey! Why not oil again from algae!"

To facilitate exploration of oil production from algae as well as exploration of other alternative energy avenues, Oilgae provides web links, directory, and related resources for algae-based biofuels / biodiesel along with inputs on new inventions, discoveries & breakthroughs in other alternative energy domains such as solar, wind, nuclear, hydro, geothermal, hydrogen & fuel cells, gravitational, geothemal, human-powered, ocean & wave / tidal energy. We hope Oilgae proves to be useful as a research information & inputs resources, and as a source of news & info for algae business & trade of algal oil, algal fuels & new alternative energy products - specially with regard to new feedstock / feedstocks, production processes and uses, and market info such as price / prices, data & statistics

 


  In the beginning, there were algae,
but there was no oil Then, from algae came oil.
Now, the algae are still there, but oil is fast depleting
In future, there will be no oil, but there will still be algae  
So, doesn’t it make sense to explore if we can again get oil from algae?
This is what we try to do at Oilgae.com – explore the potential of getting oil from algae