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Design and Analysis of Macroalgae-Based Biorefineries

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

Displacing fossil fuels and their derivatives with renewables and increasing sustainable food and materials production are among the major challenges facing the world in the coming decades. A possible, sustainable direction for addressing these challenges is biorefinery. Plants and microalgae are possible feedstocks; however, concerns over net energy balance, potable water use, environmental hazards, and uncertainty in the processing technologies question their actual potential to meet the anticipated food, feed, materials, and energy challenges in a sustainable way. Alternative sustainable sources for biorefineries are offshore-produced macroalgae. However, implementation of the offshore biorefineries requires detailed analysis of their technological, economic, and environmental performance. In this chapter, the basic principles of marine biorefineries design are shown. The methods to integrate thermodynamic efficiency, investment and environmental aspects are discussed. The performance improvements by development of new cultivation and dewatering methods that fit macroalgae physiology and development of new conversion methods that address macroalgae’s unique chemical composition are shown.

Original languageEnglish GB
Title of host publicationMethods in Molecular Biology
PublisherHumana Press
Pages309-333
Number of pages25
DOIs
StatePublished - 2026

Publication series

NameMethods in Molecular Biology
Volume2996

Keywords

  • Co-products
  • Environmental exergonomics
  • Exergy efficiency
  • Fermentation
  • Macroalgae
  • Marine biorefinery design
  • Offshore cultivation
  • Seaweed

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

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