Valorizing algae biomass as materials for bioproducts and commercial applications

Algae are broadly considered as sustainable sources for producing a wide range of bioproducts. When compared with first- and second-generation of biomass, algae offer several inherent advantages such as high lipid content, high photosynthetic efficiency, high biomass productivity, and nonrequirement for arable land. Thus, extensive studies have been carried out to apply various types of algae as feedstocks to produce valuable bioproducts. In this chapter, the uses of algae to produce biomaterials such as biochar, biofuels such as biodiesel and H2, as well as biochemicals such as astaxanthin and lutein, are discussed. Overall, this presented chapter provides a direction for both industry and academia on the development of algae-derived bioproducts and the associated conversion and extraction techniques.