Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Quantification of Heavy Metals and Other Inorganic Contaminants on the Productivity of Microalgae
Published on: July 10, 2015
Microalgal production--a close look at the economics
Niels-Henrik Norsker1, Maria J Barbosa, Marian H Vermuë
1Bioprocess Engineering, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8129, 6700 EV Wageningen, The Netherlands. niels-henrik.norsker@wur.nl
Unlabelled:
Worldwide, microalgal biofuel production is being investigated. It is strongly debated which type of production technology is the most adequate. Microalgal biomass production costs were calculated for 3 different micro algal production systems operating at commercial scale today: open ponds, horizontal tubular photobioreactors and flat panel photobioreactors. For the 3 systems, resulting biomass production costs including dewatering, were 4.95, 4.15 and 5.96 € per kg, respectively. The important cost factors are irradiation conditions, mixing, photosynthetic efficiency of systems, medium- and carbon dioxide costs. Optimizing production with respect to these factors, a price of € 0.68 per kg resulted. At this cost level microalgae become a promising feedstock for biodiesel and bulk chemicals.
Summary:
Photobioreactors may become attractive for microalgal biofuel production.
Related Concept Videos
Biofuels
Green Algae
Overview of Algae
Other Algae
Red Algae

