title: How close we are to achieving commercially viable large-scale photobiological hydrogen production by cyanobacteria: a review of the biological aspects.
abstract: Photobiological production of H2 by cyanobacteria is considered to be an ideal source of renewable energy because the inputs, water and sunlight, are abundant. The products of photobiological systems are H2 and O2; the H2 can be used as the energy source of fuel cells, etc., which generate electricity at high efficiencies and minimal pollution, as the waste product is H2O. Overall, production of commercially viable algal fuels in any form, including biomass and biodiesel, is challenging, and the very few systems that are operational have yet to be evaluated. In this paper we will: briefly review some of the necessary conditions for economical production, summarize the reports of photobiological H2 production by cyanobacteria, present our schemes for future production, and discuss the necessity for further progress in the research needed to achieve commercially viable large-scale H2 production.
authors: Research Institute for Photobiological Hydrogen Production, Kanagawa University, Tsuchiya, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1293, Japan. sakurai@waseda.jp.
authors: Hidehiro
authors: H
authors: Sakurai
authors: Research Institute for Photobiological Hydrogen Production, Kanagawa University, Tsuchiya, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1293, Japan. masukawa@ocarina.osaka-cu.ac.jp.|The OCU Advanced Research Institute for Natural Science and Technology (OCARINA), Osaka City University, 3-3-138 Sugimoto, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka 558-8585, Japan. masukawa@ocarina.osaka-cu.ac.jp.
authors: Hajime
authors: H
authors: Masukawa
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, Kanagawa University, Tsuchiya, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1293, Japan. pt125536zy@kanagawa-u.ac.jp.
authors: Masaharu
authors: M
authors: Kitashima
authors: Research Institute for Photobiological Hydrogen Production, Kanagawa University, Tsuchiya, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1293, Japan. inouek01@kanagawa-u.ac.jp.|Department of Biological Sciences, Kanagawa University, Tsuchiya, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1293, Japan. inouek01@kanagawa-u.ac.jp.
authors: Kazuhito
authors: K
authors: Inoue