Biohydrogen production from microalgal sources

Abstract

The global depletion of fossil fuel reserves and associated environmental challenges have shifted the focus to investigating alternative renewable energy sources. Microalgae have emerged as promising candidates for biohydrogen production due to their rapid growth and ability to thrive in diverse environmental conditions, including nonarable land, with unique photosynthetic capabilities and carbon dioxide assimilation strategies. Advancements in genetic and metabolic engineering have the potential to improve the photobiological production of hydrogen from microalgae significantly. This improvement involves manipulating specific enzymes, such as hydrogenase and nitrogenase, to modulate competing metabolic pathways to enhance hydrogen yields. The chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the current research on biohydrogen production from microalgae, with challenges and prospects in making it an economically viable approach. © 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.