Saponifiable lipids (SLs) were extracted from wet biomass using ethanol and hexane.
Intracellular R. oryzae lipase catalyzed the methanolysis of microalgal SLs.
Biodiesel yield and lipase reuse were higher using SLs poorer in polar lipid.
Biodiesel yield and lipase reutilization were higher in tert-butanol than in hexane.
83% of microalgal SLs were transformed to biodiesel in the optimized conditions.