(Re)-thinking the red seaweed biomass for biofuel production to meet sustainable development goals toward circular bioeconomy

The present energy demand and technological advancements in biofuel generation favor bioethanol, biobutanol, biodiesel, biogas, and biohydrogen production from renewable substrates. Bioethanol is one of the clean biofuels that has gained widespread acceptance as an alternative to fossil fuels and can be easily adapted in the automotive industry to design engines. Up to date, the commercial production of bioethanol obtained from first-generation biomass as substrates have led to a Food vs. Fuel issue. The ecosystem is affected by the use of hazardous pesticides and fertilizers in the cultivation of first-generation crops. These issues compel us to focus on a varied group of autotrophic organisms, the seaweeds, in this article as a potential replacement substrate for bioethanol production. Recently, the spent biomass of the seaweed industry and the economically viable seaweeds that drift on shore have been widely focused on generating revenue by many entrepreneurs and also helping farmers generate additional income from seaweed collection and processing. Classification and status of seaweed research were initially discussed in this article, and characteristics, pretreatment, bioethanol production of seaweed biomass, and spent seaweed biomass were articulated extensively. Eventually, a bioethanol economic scenario was developed to decipher the commercial feasibility of bioethanol in India.

Automated summary

This article explores the potential use of seaweed as a substrate for bioethanol production. It discusses the classification and status of seaweed research, as well as the pretreatment, bioethanol production, and utilization of spent seaweed biomass.