Use of Macroalgae for Bioenergy Production in Latvia: Review on Potential Availability of Marine Coastline Species

Abstract

Macroalgae have recently attracted attention as a possible feedstock for energy. Macroalgae have high productivity, which is high as or higher than terrestrial plants, and macroalgae do not compete with crops for arable land. Macroalgal biomass provides environmentally and economically feasible alternatives to fossil fuels.The Baltic Sea is under great environmental stress and suffers from environmental problems such as eutrophication. Macroalgae have a great potential eutrophication effect through nutrient removal processes, even if an excess of algae growing could create a lack of oxygen within the biota with an impact on the biodiversity dimension. Thus a macroalgae-based industrial system would be beneficial for the overall nutrient level in the Baltic Sea and become a favourable and sustainable feedstock for energy purposes.Intensive cultivation of macroalgae is likely to increase with the development of an algal biofuels industry and algal bioremediation. However, target macroalgae species suitable for cultivation on the Latvian coastline have not yet been identified.The review focuses on macroalgae species abundant on the coastline of Latvia. Biomass potential of the three Baltic Sea species representative of genera: Fucus vesiculosus, Furcellaria lumbricalis, Ulva intestinalis were compared and their suitability for energy production was investigated. Productivity, growth and biochemical composition was evaluated to estimate potential for biomass applications.