8.

Conclusions and Recommendations

8.1 Conclusions

Algae are more promising feed stocks to their wide spread availability and higher oil yields.

Using microalgae to produce biodiesel will not compromise production of food, fodder and other
Products derived from crops. In this thesis the experimental oil yield obtained from the
microalgae was about 33% of its dry weight. For the extraction of oil, simple distillation method
was used. Extracted oil was further used for biodiesel production by transesterification process.

The obtained biodiesel were tested for its physicochemical properties to check whether it
Complies with the ASTM and EN standards or not. The result showed that the fuel properties are
within the ASTM and EN standards. The density & ash were recorded as 0.86g/ml, 0.026(%w/w)
and acid value 4.83%.

The results obtained from this thesis suggest the potential of algal oil as a feedstock for Biodiesel
industry which could be exploited as an alternative source of fuel.

Microalgae biodiesel is technically feasible and to be economic competitive with petro diesel,
microalgae production as improvements to algal biology through genetic and metabolic
engineering.

The use of the biorewnery concept and advances in photo bioreactor engineering will further
lower the cost of production.

Biodiesel can be used alone or mixed in any ratio with petroleum diesel fuel. The most common
blend is a mix of 20% biodiesel with 80% petroleum diesel.

8.2 Recommendations

This thesis shows the possibility of producing biodiesel from microalgae to use as substitute of
Petroleum fuel and mitigate environmental pollutions caused by fossil fuel consumption.
However, further research and development on selection and isolation of specific species of algal
strains from the biomass, identification of the major fatty acid compositions (profile),
investigation on the productivity of isolated species, determination of conducive environmental
conditions or growth media (i.e. optimal temperature, sun light intensity, and nutrients
requirement) for optimal growth of strains with higher fatty acid yield per unit area of land
Should be carried out. Besides, further study on fuel property using HPLC or GC analysis,
blending conditions, engine performance and emission tests and techno-economic analysis
should be carried out in future studies. Glycerol has relevance in soap industries but in this study
the property of glycerol was not determined. Therefore, in addition to the production of biodiesel
the property of the byproduct glycerol should be analyzed and purified for further applications.