Lipid accumulation and growth of Chlorella zofingiensis in flat plate photobioreactors outdoors

► Chlorella zofingiensis can grow fast with μmax of 0.994 day−1 under outdoor. ► The lipid content can reach to 54.5% of dry weight under outdoor. ► The lipid contents declined with the increasing initial cell concentrations. ► The lipid productivity increased with increasing initial cell concentration. ► Culturing C. zofingiensis under outdoor for biodiesel is possible.