2. The energy and carbon balance of micro algae production If micro-algae are to be a viable feedstock for biofuel production the overall energy (and carbon balance) must be favourable. There Have been many attempts to estimate this for large scale micro-algae biofuels production using life cycle assessment (LCA) methods to describe and quantify inputs and emissions from the production process. Attempts have been hampered,however,by the fact that no industrial scale process designed specifically for biofuel production yet exists. Consequently, the data that underpins micro-algae LCA must be extrapolated from laboratory scale systems or from commercial schemes that have been designed to produce high value products such as pigments and heath food supplements. Despite this limitation it is anticipated that LCA can still serve as a tool to assist with system design