Algae appeared 3.5 billion years ago as one of the earliest living organisms that helped create the earth through photosynthesis. Also called ‘plant planktons,’ they are very commonly found in all fresh water and marine systems across the planet as the lowest component in the water and marine food chains.

Microalgae are photosynthetic organisms that synthesize organic matters using water (either in fresh water, ocean or air), sunlight and carbon dioxide, and exhume oxygen as its byproduct. There are around 800,000 species existing around the globe.

Macroalgae including seaweed and kelp are visible organisms while microalgae are microscopic organisms such as chlorella and haematococcus. Algae also can be differentiated as freshwater algae and marine algae based on their habitat.

Macroalgae, high in carbohydrate, are used as main resource for bioethanol production. On the other hand, microalgae, high in lipids, are being used to create biodiesel. Especially, microalgae are relatively easier for mass cultivation as they can well reproduce in salty lakes and ocean through green and red tide.