Economics microalgae

Because of their considerable role in human wellfare, carotenoids have been measured not only in plants as primary sources and in human and animal tissues but also in a wide variety of other matrices to find new and economical sources for carotenoids. Thus, the carotenoid accumulation capacity of algae and microalgae have been vigorously investigated. A validated liquid chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry method have been developed and employed for the separation and quantitative determination of... 

Feinberg DA (1984) Technical and economic analysis of liquid fuel production from microalgae. DOE Report SERI/TP-231-2608. Solar Energy Research Institute, Golden, CO... 

The technology for triglyceride production from microalgae has not yet been commercialized. Most of the economic analyses for the production of microalgal liquids reported in the literature indicate they are much too expensive to compete with petroleum fuels. Considerable additional research must be carried out to perfect the process despite the fact that research on microalgal fuel production has been in progress for at least the past two decades. 

Williams PJleB, Laurens LML Microalgae as biodiesel and biomass feedstocks review and analysis of the biochemistry, energetics and economics, Energy Environ Sci 3 554-590, 2010. 

Ideally, the culture system has to enable optimal control of growth conditions, but it also has to meet the many and varied practical and economic tied to different microalgae applications, from small-scale lab production to mass-scale solar culture. 

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