In this study, diurnal photoperiod and fluctuating temperatures
as seasonal conditions at different Si concentrations in growth versus
lipid phases were studied together. These experiments reveal
that the optimal season for Nitzschia sp. to produce biomass is
summer but the best lipid production occurs in winter. While it
is possible to use one species year round, the tradeoffs between
maximum biomass versus lipid production are significant. Further
effort on selecting high lipid production species and improving
microalgae productivity is required.