Hydrogen production by Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

This chapter examines some of the advances made in algal hydrogen production over the past decade as an outcome of the discovery of the sulfur-deprivation process. Both the scientific and technical barriers that need to be overcome before hydrogen photoproduction can be scaled-up at an industrial scale are examined.Basic photosynthesis principles behind photobiological hydrogen production are provided in order to orient the reader on how some microalgae under specific conditions can release hydrogen gas. Actual and theoretical limits of the efficiency of the process are also discussed. Emphasis is placed on algal biohydrogen production outdoors, and principles for guiding optimal photobioreactor design are presented. Finally, future prospects for commercial applications are discussed.