Biofuels refer to renewable fuels from biological sources that can be used for heat, electricity and fuel. The fuels
obtained from algae are termed as third generation fuels. The production of fuel from algae provides many
advantages when compared to the fuel produced from other sources like agrobased raw materials. Other than
environmental pollution control the algal biofuel will help in reduction of the fuel cost when compared to the
agrobased and fossil fuels. In the present study algae specifically Spirogyra was used for the production of
bioethanol by the fermentative process. A comparative study was carried out by using chemically pre-treated and
untreated Spirogyra biomass. The Spirogyra has a very simple cell wall made up of cellulose and starch that can be
converted to ethanol by the fermentation process. The Spirogyra biomass was subjected to saccharification process
by the fungal organism Aspergillus niger MTCCC 2196 for the hydrolysis, this process was followed by the
fermentation using yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae MTCC170 for the production of alcohol. A high yield of ethanol
was recorded for untreated Spirogyra biomass when compared to chemically pre-treated biomass. The yield of
alcohol using algal biomass is more when compared to alcohol produced from other sources like agrobased raw
materials.