Possibilities for conversion of microalgae oil into aviation fuel: A review

The aviation sector relies on petroleum jet fuel because it is the most efficient energy carrier. Due to environmental and economic concerns a strong demand for alternative fuels is emerging. There is a need for diversification of energy sources from natural resources. These resources must be environmentally friendly and costs effective. Environmental impacts of fossil fuels on global warming and climate change are being a major concern today. Furthermore, the fluctuations of oil prices and need for sustainable fuel supply are the strong drivers for the economies of fuel users. In the aviation sector, Jet fuel from microalgae is one of the alternatives receiving considerable attention; it offers the potential to diversify energy sources. Microalgae species can produce lipids; they do not require high use of land, do not need freshwater, can grow in marine water or wastewater, grow faster in very short period of time, the produced oil is not a threat to food security. Similarly, the effect of climate change and global warming due to the generation of greenhouse gases (GHG) from petroleum jet fuel can be considerably reduced due to low carbon footprint generated by algae based fuels. Therefore, algae based aviation fuels can be considered as an alternative to produce an efficient fuel compared to conventional fuels. Conversely, the key challenge is: many algae species have lower lipid content. Harvesting and drying processes are costly as well as upstream processes to convert microalgae oil into Jet fuel. Although algae biofuels are still small players in the aviation industry, there is a potential for the future. This review analyses some routes to be explored or already explored, their strengths and weaknesses, the current trends and possible conceptual approaches to get aviation fuel from microalgae oil.