Macroalgae are a promising bioethanol feedstock due to their fast growth rate and large
biomass yield, with superior productivity to many terrestrial crops [11]. (Table 4 compares
macroalgae with conventional terrestrial bioethanol feedstocks, such as sugarcane, corn, and
wheat). The high yield of macroalgae is attributed to their lower energy requirement for the production of supporting tissues than terrestrial plants, in addition to their capability to absorb
nutrients over their entire surface area [11], and the energy-savings derived from zero
requirements for internal nutrient transport [12]. Many types of seaweed exhibit a mass
productivity of 13.1 kg dry weight m-2 67 over a seven month growth period, compared to
terrestrial plants achieving 0.5-4.4 kg dry weight m
-2 68 over an entire year