To determine the best algae feedstock for industrial hydrocarbon production purposes, an intrinsic parameter to compare the productivity of algae species with varying growth rates, biomass compositions, and biosynthetic capabilities must be determined. This work proposes that hydrocarbon productivity, which is the rate of hydrocarbon production per unit process volume or area, can be used as a comparative parameter since it gives a gauge of the hydrocarbon production capabilities of any algae species under different growth conditions. Of particular interest is the isoprene hydrocarbon producing algae Botryococcus. One definition of hydrocarbon production in terms of hydrocarbon concentration produced per biomass per absorbed photons would be a particularly useful intrinsic parameter for a species of algae. This work also defines how to obtain biomass and hydrocarbon data from literature using digitization software and then how to calculate productivity from that data on the basis of light given to the algae as well as the amount of algae biomass within the culture vessel to yield an intrinsic productivity measure that will permit a meaningful comparison of different strains under different growth conditions.
