ABSTRACT
Pollution and global warming as outcomes of past ill-ecological developmental efforts are currently destroying the global environment in catastrophic measure. Nevertheless, technological advancement and measures for ensuring continuous energy availability always remain dependent on human progress. However, the depletion of finite energy resources and environmental damage of diverse kinds occurring from technological failures has lead humans to a developmental dilemma. What new technology can solve the current developmental crisis? Our interest now in the sustainability of development demands the discovery of environment-friendly technologies that can overcome the challenges of all kinds of techno-environment contradictions. In this context, the search for environmentally friendly means of producing renewable energy resources, environmentally efficient technologies for production processes and technologies for remediation of diverse environmental issues remains highly significant. All such technologies come under a standard label known as ecotechnology that consciously focuses on human progress along with the sustainability of development. In this regard, advancements in algae-based technology, as a potential means to overcome the current energy and environment crisis of the world in a sustainable way, is reviewed. Algal fuel technology includes diverse kinds of physical and biochemical conversion of algal biomass resources to renewable fuels. Algae-based biofuel production systems are well adapted to all local environmental conditions and can be a multi-edged technological process, because algal growth can purify eutrophic waters and the residual algal biomass after lipid extraction for biodiesel has other utilization as food, feed, and fertilizers. Thus, technology for the use of algae as an industrial tool can promote sustainable, eco-friendly development globally. In this context, the most recent publications on the identification of algal species as biofuel resources and the double-edged use of algae as a biomass resource and water purification tool are discussed. Also, publications reviewing physical and thermochemical methods of conversion of algal feedstock into biofuels, including the significant prospects and challenges in this regard, are reviewed.
