Harvesting costs contribute 20–30% to the total cost of algal cultivation with majority of the cost contribute to cultivation expenses.
Genetic engineering, development of low cost harvesting processes, improvement on photobioreactor, and integration of co-production of higher-value products/processes are other alternatives in reducing algal oil production cost [14].
The harvested algae next undergo anaerobic digestion producing methane which
could be used to produce electricity.