Bioenergy from macroalgae : some costs and benefits

A significant drawback of many bioenergy sources is that energy crops displace alternative land use, such as for food. Responding to this criticism seaweed has been suggested as a source of next generation bioenergy. It is harvested and cultivated on a commercial scale in several countries in Europe (Norway, France), Asia (China, Japan) and South-America (Chile), but in most coastal areas it is relatively underexploited and therefore offers an appealing prospect: at least in principle