Employing relatively moderate conditions of temperature (ca. 200°C), time (<1 h), and pressure (<2 MPa), microalgae can be converted in an energy-efficient manner into an algal char product that is of bituminous coal quality. Potential uses for the product include creation of synthesis gas and conversion into industrial chemicals and gasoline; application as a soil nutrient amendment; and as a carbon-neutral supplement to natural coal for generation of electrical power. Some strains of cyanobacteria also provided high-quality chars, but yields were only half those obtained with green microalgae (Heilmann et al., 2010).