Sustainable Development of Algal Biofuels

Abstract

This report by the National Research Council was produced at the request of the U.S. Department of Energy and published in October 2012. The authors concluded that scaling up the production of biofuels made from algae to meet at least 5 percent -- approximately 39 billion liters -- of U.S. transportation fuel needs would place unsustainable demands on energy, water, and nutrients. However, these concerns are not a definitive barrier for future production, and innovations that would require research and development could help realize algal biofuels' full potential.