The Advancement of Microalgal Cultivation Technology: Current Trends and Future Prospectives

Microalgae have emerged as promising sustainable bioresources due to their rapid growth, metabolic versatility, and capacity to produce diverse valuable compounds, including biofuels, nutraceuticals, pigments, and bioplastics. This review focusses microalgal cultivation technologies, encompassing open systems, closed photobioreactors (tubular, flat-panel, bubble-column designs) and biofilm techniques. It contrasts each system’s advantages and limitations in productivity, contamination control, energy efficiency, and scalability. Advances in strain improvement via genetic engineering and synthetic biology are examined alongside innovative cultivation strategies like co-cultivation and biofilm-based systems for enhancing biomass yield and sustainability. The integration of automation, real-time monitoring, and artificial intelligence for optimized cultivation management is dissected. Recent breakthroughs in reactor design, automation, real-time monitoring, and genetic engineering collectively boost process efficiency and scalability. Despite persistent hurdles in contamination control, nutrient supply, and energy-intensive harvesting, continuous innovation is accelerating microalgae's path toward commercial viability, cementing their central role in a sustainable, circular bioeconomy. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive synthesis of recent technological developments and innovative strategies in microalgal cultivation that enhance biomass productivity, sustainability, and economic viability.