AQUAFUELS · Alage and aquatic biomass for a sustainable production of 2nd generation biofuels

AquaFUELS intends to focus on establishing the state of the art on research, technological development and demonstration activities regarding the exploitation of various algal and other suitable non-food aquatic biomasses for 2nd generation biofuels production. In this frame an overall assessment, critical thinking and reasoning are necessary to draft the lines of future developments. This will respond to the need of understanding the place of algae and aquatic biomass in the present and future renewable energy sources portfolio in EU, with a careful eye to sustainability and social implications. Such action can be effective only involving major stakeholders, defining the present situation in a realistic perspective and this way providing a valuable contribution to shape future developments. AquaFUELS aims to draw the detailed, comprehensive and concrete picture of the actual status quo of EU and international initiatives on algae biofuels. Based on this work, AquaFUELS will successively elaborate an overall assessment on the technology, and identify major research and industrial needs. The surveys and assessments produced by AquaFUELS will address the full life cycle analysis - from collection to fuel use - in terms of environmental, economic and social sustainability. A major mean to reach project goals will be the coordination of a critical mass of ongoing research activities, that will be actively involved in the preparation of surveys as well as in the elaboration of the assessment studies and identification of future needs. Creating and maximizing synergies among these initiatives is one of major project results. Finally, the project will establish the first European Algae Association that will promote mutual interchange and cooperation in the field of algal biomass research, production and use