Biofuels made from algae are gaining attention as a domestic source of renewable fuel. However, with current technologies, scaling up production of algal biofuels to meet even 5 percent of U.S. transportation fuel needs could create unsustainable demands for energy, water, and nutrient resources. Continued research and development could yield innovations to address these challenges, but determining if algal biofuel is a viable fuel alternative will involve comparing the environmental, economic and social impacts of algal biofuel production and use to those associated with petroleum-based fuels and other fuel sources. Sustainable Development of Algal Biofuels was produced at the request of the U.S. Department of Energy.

Sustainability in Biofuel Production Technology Explore current challenges and the latest technologies in biofuel production In Sustainability in Biofuel Production Technology, a team of engineers and chemists delivers a thorough and accessible exploration of the source of renewable energy biofuels poised to help conserve natural resources and limit the impact of fossil fuel use. The book offers detailed information about the challenges and trends in biodiesel production and includes contributions from leading researchers in the field of biodiesel production. Readers will explore aviation biofuels, biofuel production technologies, reactor design and safety considerations, and the modelling and simulation of biofuel production as they move through the book’s 14 chapters. The authors also analyze the performance of biofuels along with cost estimations and mathematical modeling of various process parameters. Readers will also find: A thorough introduction to biofuels, including their history, generation, classification, and relevant technologies In-depth presentations of the production technologies of biofuels, including chemical and biological production processes Comprehensive explorations of the utilization of biofuels in aviation, including performance analyses and safety considerations Fulsome discussions of key issues and challenges in biofuels production pathways and the environmental effects of biofuels Perfect for academic researchers and industrial scientists working in the biofuels, bioenergy, catalysis, and materials science sectors, Sustainability in Biofuel Production Technology will also be suitable for members of regulatory bodies in the bioenergy sector.

3rd Generation Biofuels: Disruptive Technologies to Enable Commercial Production is a comprehensive volume on all aspects of algal biofuels, offering the latest advances on commercial implementation. In addition to the fundamentals, the book discusses all applied aspects of 3rd generation biofuels production, including design approaches, unit operations of the upstream and downstream biomass processing, and every potential microalgae-based energy product, including microbial fuel cells. Policy, economic, environmental, and regulatory issues are addressed in a dedicated section. Finally, the book presents pilot and demonstration-scale projects for 3rd generation biofuels production in the format of a white paper. Each chapter reviews the state of the art, discusses the disruptive technological approaches that will potentially enable large-scale production, and concludes with specific recommendations on how to achieve commercial competitiveness. The book provides readers with an invaluable reference for researchers, graduates, and practitioners working in the areas of renewable energy, bioenergy and alternative fuels, and biotechnology. - Offers a sequential framework for the design of process plants using 3rd generation feedstock - Presents dedicated sections on case studies at pilot and demonstration scales as well as on policy, economic, and environmental issues - Provides a global perspective on biofuels production, with more than 40 contributions from world-renouned experts

Environmental Life Cycle Assessment (ELCA) that was developed about three decades ago demands a broadening of its scope to include lifecycle costing and social aspects of life cycle assessment as well, drawing on the three-pillar or ‘triple bottom line’ model of sustainability, which is the result of the development of the Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA). LCSA refers to the evaluation of all environmental, social and economic negative impacts and benefits in decision-making processes towards more sustainable products throughout their life cycle. Combination of environmental and social life cycle assessments along with life cycle costing leads to life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA). This book highlights various aspects of life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA).

This book provides up-to-date information on the state of the art in applications of biotechnological and microbiological tools for protecting the environment. Written by leading international experts, it discusses potential applications of biotechnological and microbiological techniques in solid waste management, wastewater treatment, agriculture, energy and environmental health. This second volume of book “Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology,” covers two main topics: bioenergy and environmental health, exploring the latest developments from around the globe regarding applications of biotechnology and microbiology for converting wastes into valuable products and at the same time reducing the environmental pollution resulting from disposal. Wherever possible it also includes real-world examples. Further, it offers advice on which procedures should be followed to achieve satisfactory results, and provides insights that will promote the transition to the sustainable utilization of various waste products.

Integrated Wastewater Management and Valorization using Algal Cultures provides a holistic view on coupled wastewater treatment and biomass production for energy and value-added products using algal cultures. Algal cultures provide low-cost nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) treatment and recovery from wastewaters, carbon-dioxide sequestration from waste gases, value-added generation in the form of bio-energy and bio-based chemicals, biosorption of heavy metals and biogas upgrading. The book addresses all these aspects in terms of role of algal cultures in environmental sustainability and circular economy. The production of high value products is addressed through pretreatment and anaerobic co-digestion of wastewater-derived microalgal biomass and microalgal biorefineries. The simultaneous dissolution and uptake of nutrients in microalgal treatment of anaerobic digestate is discussed, as is coupled electrocoagulation and algal cultivation for the treatment of anaerobic digestate and algal biomass production. Finally, optimization of algal biomass production is discussed using metagenomics and machine learning tools, and scale-up potential and the limitations of integrated wastewater-derived microalgal biorefineries is discussed. Integrated Wastewater Management and Valorization using Algal Cultures offers an integrated resource on wastewater treatment, biomass production, bioenergy and value-added product generation for researchers in bioenergy and renewable energy, environmental science and wastewater treatment, as well as environmental and chemical engineering. - Comprehensively covers methods of wastewater treatment by algal cultivation and algal utilization - Integrates the applications of algal cultures across wastewater treatment, nutrient recycling, CO2 sequestration, bio-energy and bio-based product generation - Provides several international case studies to showcase actual algae-based pilot projects and facilities

Achieving environmental sustainability with rapid industrialization is currently a major global challenge. Industries are the key economic drivers, but are also the main polluters as untreated/partially treated effluents from industry are usually discharged into the aquatic environment or dumped. Industrial effluents often contain highly toxic and hazardous pollutants, which cause ecological damage and present and health hazards to living beings. As such, there is a pressing need to find ecofriendly solutions to deal with industrial waste, and to develop sustainable methods for treating/detoxifying waste before it’s released into the environment. As a low cost and eco-friendly clean technology, bioremediation can offer a sustainable alternative to conventional remediation technologies for the treatment and management of industrial wastes. This book (Volume II) describes the role of biological agents in the degradation and detoxification of organic and inorganic pollutants in industrial wastes, and presents recent bioremediation approaches for waste treatment and management, such as constructed wetlands, electro- bioremediation and nano-bioremediation, as well as microbial fuel cells. It appeals to students, researchers, scientists, industry professionals and experts in the field of microbiology, biotechnology, environmental sciences, eco-toxicology, environmental remediation and waste management and other relevant areas who are interested in biodegradation and bioremediation of industrial wastes for environmental safety.