Recent developments and future perspectives of marine macroalgae biorefinery in a circular bioeconomy approach

Carbon counting and the carbon footprint of products are of issue to numerous industries. Macroalgae, a third-generation biomass, offers significant benefits as a feedstock within a circular economy system. Macroalgae are rich in a range of carbohydrates, which differ from typical terrestrial plants, and generate valuable products in biorefinery systems including renewable fuel and biobased products. This review focuses on the latest macroalgae biorefineries while also detailing various case studies which highlight how the potential of macroalgae may be unlocked. The environmental impact of such systems, and the current challenges which the industry faces are also discussed.