Towards Commercialization of Third-Generation Biofuel Industry for Sustainable Energy Production in Nigeria

Due to the potential depletion of fossil fuels and the need for the shift from its use to combat the aggravated impacts of climate change, the unsustainable use of these conventional fuels has been widely recognized. This has prompted commercialization of biofuels as an alternative sustainable fuel. This study summarizes the potential of third-generation biomass feedstocks, algae, for biofuel production on the example of Nigeria, where most biofuel plants still use first- and second-generation feedstocks, which have led to food and land mass competition. It is shown that the production and consumption of third-generation biofuel is at its infancy in the country. It was also found that the climatic conditions in Nigeria are conducive for the cultivation of microalgae, which are the primary sources of the third-generation biofuel, even though there are barriers such as inadequate reliable resource database for investment decisions and technical expertise to develop and deploy biofuels in commercial form. The large population of Nigeria is a potential market for biofuel, therefore, commercialization of the third-generation biofuel can be a viable alternative energy source to conventional fossil fuels and it can generate employment for many in the country.