Applications of Spent Biomass

Abstract

There are several difficulties in developing algal biofuels that can fully replace fossil fuels; the main challenges relate to lower environmental impact (including the possibility of CO2 sequestering and wastewater treatment) and economic feasibility. To date, most studies have focused on selection of species, coupled with optimization of cultivation, biomass harvest and fuel extraction; efforts on enhancing environmental benefits and upgrading spent biomass are thus in order. Industry should indeed adopt an integrated strategy inspired by algal-based biorefineries - toward maximizing the economic return of all products present in algal biomass, by recovering high value compounds prior to biofuel manufacture, and using the remainder for aquaculture/land animal feed and production of other biofuels via supplementary fermentation.