Commercial productions
The history of microalgal cultivation extends about 125 years back, the first industrial productions being the Japanese Chlorella productions for food supplements, shortly after the Second World War. The production took place outdoor in circular or centrally agitated ponds. The traditional ponds are still being used, although being gradually replaced by heterotrophic production systems. About 2000 tons of dry Chlorella is being produced annually, mostly in Japan. About half is produced by heterotrophic methods. The algal biomass is either used directly or for a glucan extract (Chlorella growth factor).

The largest production is that of Arthrospira (former known as Spirulina), with about 3000 tons produced per year (exclusively autotrophic). This production mostly occurred in open raceway ponds and used directly as food supplements. Development of Arthrospira cultivation started at the Berkely University in California with the establishment of the companies Earthrise and later Cyanotech. Arthrospira cultivation is growing rapidly in India and China. Arthrospira can grow at a high alkalinity, which eliminates many competing algae, and is therefore well suited for open ponds. 

Haematococcus cysts – contain the valuable astaxanthin.

Astaxanthin is the pink pigment found in salmon and shrimp. Natural astaxanthin is  made from the green alga Haematococcus pluvialis that may contain up to 6 %. About 500 tons of Haematococcus biomass is produced annually, autotrophically or mixotrophically, in photobioreactors or raceway ponds.

ß-carotene is produced with the green alga Dunaliella, of which 1200 tons biomass is produced annually, partly in lagoons, partly in raceway ponds.  Dunaliella can grow at high salinity, which provides the competitive advantage that makes it suitable for open pond cultivation.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids DHA
The dinophycean Crypthecodinium cohnii and the thraustochytrids, Schizochytrium and Ulkenia, yield high volumetric productivities of the polyunsaturated fatty acids, EPA and DHA. The DHA production is the most effective with specific volumetric productivities up to 3 g DHA L^-1 day^-1 with Schizochytrium, about half that for Crypthecodinium. Productions are entirely heterotrophic. 

Experimental productions
EPA is produced with the diatom Phaeodactylum (autotrophic), Nitzschia alba or N. protothecoides (heterotrophic). The carotenoids lutein can be produced with Nitzschia protothecoides (heterotrophic), Muriellopsis and a range of Chlorella species (autotrophic). Oil production for biodiesel  can be produced by a wide range of algal species, mostly autotrophic. Ethanol or hydrogen fermentation can be done with Chlamydomonas.