Methods in Molecular Biology (2020) 1980: 9–33
DOI 10.1007/7651_2018_127
© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2018
Published online: 15 March 2018
Design and Analysis of Offshore Macroalgae Biorefineries
Alexander Golberg, Alexander Liberzon, Edward Vitkin, and Zohar Yakhini
Abstract
Displacing fossil fuels and their derivatives with renewables, and increasing sustainable food production are
among the major challenges facing the world in the coming decades. A possible, sustainable direction for
addressing this challenge is the production of biomass and the conversion of this biomass to the required
products through a complex system coined biorefinery. Terrestrial biomass and microalgae are possible
sources; however, concerns over net energy balance, potable water use, environmental hazards, and
uncertainty in the processing technologies raise questions regarding their actual potential to meet the
anticipated food, feed, and energy challenges in a sustainable way. Alternative sustainable sources for
biorefineries are macroalgae grown and processed offshore. 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 improvement by development of new cultivation methods that fit macroalgae physiology and development of new
fermentation methods that address macroalgae unique chemical composition is shown.
Keywords Coproducts, Environmental exergonomics, Exergy efficiency, Fermentation, Macroalgae,
Marine biorefinery design, Offshore cultivation, Seaweed
1 Introduction
Population growth and increased per person resource consumption
in the era of changing climate will increase the demand for food,
chemicals, and fuels. A possible, sustainable direction for addressing
this challenge is the production of food, chemicals, and fuels from
the delicately cultivated biomass. A complex system of biomass
cultivation, harvest, and conversion to multiple products is entitled
biorefinery. This biomass can come from terrestrial or aquatic
biomass. Terrestrial biomass has been traditionally used for food
supply for the most of the global population. However, concerns
over net energy balance, potable water use, environmental hazards,
and uncertainty in the processing technologies—mostly the problems with lignin—raise questions regarding the actual potential of
terrestrial biomass to meet the anticipated food, chemicals, and
energy challenges in a sustainable way [1, 2].
Additional source of biomass for the biorefinery is algal biomass. Microalgae are promising species because of their high
9
DOI 10.1007/7651_2018_127
© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2018
Published online: 15 March 2018
Design and Analysis of Offshore Macroalgae Biorefineries
Alexander Golberg, Alexander Liberzon, Edward Vitkin, and Zohar Yakhini
Abstract
Displacing fossil fuels and their derivatives with renewables, and increasing sustainable food production are
among the major challenges facing the world in the coming decades. A possible, sustainable direction for
addressing this challenge is the production of biomass and the conversion of this biomass to the required
products through a complex system coined biorefinery. Terrestrial biomass and microalgae are possible
sources; however, concerns over net energy balance, potable water use, environmental hazards, and
uncertainty in the processing technologies raise questions regarding their actual potential to meet the
anticipated food, feed, and energy challenges in a sustainable way. Alternative sustainable sources for
biorefineries are macroalgae grown and processed offshore. 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 improvement by development of new cultivation methods that fit macroalgae physiology and development of new
fermentation methods that address macroalgae unique chemical composition is shown.
Keywords Coproducts, Environmental exergonomics, Exergy efficiency, Fermentation, Macroalgae,
Marine biorefinery design, Offshore cultivation, Seaweed
1 Introduction
Population growth and increased per person resource consumption
in the era of changing climate will increase the demand for food,
chemicals, and fuels. A possible, sustainable direction for addressing
this challenge is the production of food, chemicals, and fuels from
the delicately cultivated biomass. A complex system of biomass
cultivation, harvest, and conversion to multiple products is entitled
biorefinery. This biomass can come from terrestrial or aquatic
biomass. Terrestrial biomass has been traditionally used for food
supply for the most of the global population. However, concerns
over net energy balance, potable water use, environmental hazards,
and uncertainty in the processing technologies—mostly the problems with lignin—raise questions regarding the actual potential of
terrestrial biomass to meet the anticipated food, chemicals, and
energy challenges in a sustainable way [1, 2].
Additional source of biomass for the biorefinery is algal biomass. Microalgae are promising species because of their high
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