EUALGAE - THE EUROPEAN NETWORK FOR ALGAL-BIOPRODUCTS

Fossil fuel covers the majority of our energetic and chemical needs. However, fossil fuels are limited and the petrochemical industry has a negative impact on the environment. Biomass, as a renewable source, is attracting worldwide attention to satisfy this demand in the so-called bioeconomy. Conventional biomass feedstocks remain controversial due to the limited land availability and competition with food and feed production. Microalgae represent a promising alternative renewable source since they can be cultivated on non-arable land. Furthermore, microalgae remove and recycle nutrients from wastewater and flue-gases, thus providing additional environmental benefits. Investigating the production of non-fuel products could play a major role in turning economic and energy balances more favorable. Microalgae offer interesting applications in the nutrition field being high in antioxidants, pigments, polyunsaturated fatty acids and proteins. This COST Action proposes the establishment of a European network sharing a common goal: development of an economical feasible model for the commercialization of algae-based bioproducts. EUALGAE is created to stimulate not only interaction among research groups across Europe but also to foster cooperation between academia and industry. This scientific platform will generate a synergistic approach for utilization of microalgae biomass for sustainable fuels and fine chemical products.