I am excited about the forthcoming International Bioeconomy Macroalgae Center (IBMC) meeting in Berkeley on May 1–2. Participants from multiple universities and communities collaborating with UC Berkeley through the center will come together to assess the state of macroalgae research and agree on programs to turbocharge its future.
Macroalgae—commonly known as seaweed—are aquatic plants that primarily serve as food sources, with a few commercial applications. While there are thousands of macroalgae species, scientists have significant knowledge of fewer than 100, and only about 12 are currently utilized commercially. Nevertheless, the sector’s annual revenue is already between $12–15 billion, driven largely by food products produced in Asia using traditional methods. A notable commercial derivative is agar, a gelling agent widely used in food, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals.
IBMC’s ambition is to generate new knowledge about macroalgae that will lead to transformative action. We believe that with concerted effort, the annual revenue of the algae sector can grow to $100 billion within 10–15 years—and with expanded capabilities, potentially reach $1 trillion annually. While terrestrial agriculture has been the focus of millennia of research, resulting in sophisticated tools for breeding, production, harvesting, and processing, macroalgae has been comparatively neglected. This gap represents a major opportunity.
One inherent advantage of macroalgae is that it lacks lignin, a component that complicates the conversion of terrestrial plants into fuels and oils. Macroalgae contain proteins, oils, sugars, and other valuable chemicals that can serve as sources for food, energy, and a wide array of commercial products.
The IBMC’s research agenda is broad and ambitious. First, we must deepen our understanding of macroalgae biology and properties. Then, we must develop breeding techniques that leverage the unique traits of ocean organisms to cultivate high-quality biomass rapidly. Developing cost-effective harvesting strategies and efficient processing techniques will follow, alongside the design of marketing and distribution approaches. Currently, the breeding and production of macroalgae are expensive, limiting its uses primarily to food and often requiring subsidies. However, we envision a process akin to the “Green Revolution”—achieving significant gains in productivity through modern breeding techniques, including gene editing, which continue to evolve.
Traditional seaweed cultivation is labor-intensive and costly; thus, developing low-cost, highly productive farming methods is a top priority. Automation in harvesting is essential to lower costs significantly. Moreover, maximizing the value of the feedstock by producing multiple products from the same biomass will be critical. To be economically viable, production and harvesting costs must be reduced by an order of magnitude—ideally from 10 to 100 times lower than today. Processing must also be automated, more precise, and designed to generate diverse outputs. As interest in macroalgae rises among developed countries, we expect increased investment in processing capabilities.
However, the sector’s success ultimately hinges on market demand. Thus, we emphasize research and strategies to design supply chains, stimulate consumer demand, and promote supportive policies for algae-based products. The potential for macroalgae byproducts is vast in both developed and developing nations—for human food, livestock feed, and industrial applications. Producing feedstock in the ocean can relieve pressure on land resources and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with food production. Macroalgae will also serve as a feedstock for biofuels, chemicals, and biotic products that enhance agricultural productivity. Early experiments with macroalgae byproducts have shown promising results and have fueled our enthusiasm for future developments.
For the center to succeed, it must establish effective research programs and strong collaborative frameworks. Our upcoming workshop will address how best to achieve this. It is crucial to secure research funding for both the public and private sectors, and several startup representatives will join us to explore investment opportunities. The current high costs and underutilization of macroalgae stem from historical underinvestment compared to terrestrial plant science. The consortium’s efforts represent a small step toward rectifying this imbalance.
We hope that the universities partnering in the center will invest in faculty and postdoctoral positions, scaling up research capacity in macroalgae and enhancing the field’s contributions to sustainability and economic development.