Freshwater systems refer to water bodies that are entirely non-marine. Most ponds we come across are freshwater ponds. These ponds provide a home for a wide variety of aquatic and semi-aquatic plants, insects, and animals.

Freshwater based algae cultivation is more likely to use microalgae than macroalgae.There are many strains & species of algae that grow well in freshwater systems. Some of the species are: Euglenoids, Dinoflagellates, Green algae, Blue-green algae (Cyanobacteria), Diatoms, Desmids, Branching & Non-branching forms of algae & Red algae.

This chapter deals with the cultivation of specific species of algae in freshwater and the companies which use this technique to produce algae products

1. A number of algal strains & species grow well in freshwater systems. These include euglenoids, dinoflagellates, green algae, blue-green algae (cyanobacteria), diatoms and desmids.
2. A large variety of algae strains (especially microalgae) can be cultivated in freshwater.
3. In many areas worldwide, companies have readily available commercial expertise for algae cultivation in freshwater. For instance, Spirulina is already being commercially cultivated in freshwater in many countries worldwide.
4. Using freshwater for algae cultivation could be more expensive than using wastewater or saltwater, as large quantities of freshwater may not be so readily accessible and nutrient credits might not be applicable for cultivation in freshwater.
5. Some companies are trying to use a combination of both freshwater and salt water for algae cultivation. NREL, in its renewed research on algal energy is reportedly considering both freshwater and saltwater algae.