Microalgae biodiesel production: a solution to increasing energy demands in Turkey

Abstract

The transportation sector in Turkey, as in other parts of the world, has gained rapid momentum because of population growth and increased industrialization. The energy demand met using combustion of fossil fuels, such as gasoline and diesel, is the main issue to be assessed; however, because Turkey has a limited petroleum reservoir, > 70% of its fossil fuel is imported from foreign suppliers. In other words, Turkey’s economy is largely dependent on these countries for their fossil fuel commodities. Thus, not only would the production of microalgae-based biodiesel for Turkey’s transportation sector prevent global environmental disasters by limiting the use of unsustainable fossil fuels, thereby mitigating emissions (which have escalated over the past century), but it could also be the answer to Turkey’s increasing energy demand. The aim of this review is to use a snapshot of the energy demand not only in Turkey but throughout the entire world to assess the development of biodiesel sources, biodiesel policies, and biodiesel strategies in Turkey, and to provide a review of the technology involved in microalgae-based biodiesel production. With this study, energy solutions are provided to alleviate dependence on foreign-based energy resources by using new technologies to produce sustainable biodiesel fuel.

Keywords:

• Biodiesel
• energy demand
• microalgae biofuel
• renewable energy
• sustainability
• Turkey

Acknowledgements

The author thanks The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) Science Fellowships and Grant Programmes Department for the Post-Doctoral Research support given to Gamze Dogdu Okcu as part of the ‘2219-Post-Doctoral Post-Fellowship Scholarship Program’. In addition, the author thanks Prof. Bruce E. Rittmann and the laboratory group from the Arizona State University – The Biodesign Institute Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology, who trained the author in increasing microalgae productivity at their research centers.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.