Supplying the bioeconomy takes ocean-smart infrastructure. Europe is now piloting offshore seaweed farms within wind parks, and in 2025 the first commercial-scale North Sea harvest landed, early proof that European seaweed biomass can scale without competing for land and with backing from climate-finance initiatives[1]. Meanwhile, CORDIS’ EU Research Results in Algae Innovation from 2024 shows a pipeline of EU projects tackling cultivation, processing, and market uptake, from circular biorefineries to safe food-contact applications[2]. Regarding conversion, literature maps two main routes:
- Biomass-as-filler/composite: blending seaweed or microalgal biomass with polymers to make composites and foams.
- Polymer-from-algae: producing PHAs or forming alginate/ulvan films and coatings.
- Both routes are improving through greener extraction (e.g., sub-critical water, enzymatic processes), better process control, and experiments that feed captured flue CO₂ to microalgae as a carbon source for bioplastics[3].
From Biomass to Bioplastics: Conversion Pathways and Near-Term Market Formats
For product teams, the near-term focus (i.e. through 2027) should be on formats already validated in market, edible or short-life items for events and venues, fibre-based packs with seaweed barriers, and soft goods like insoles and foams, building on proof points from Notpla, BLOOM, and Kelpi. After that through 2030, offshore farming and zero-waste biorefineries scale, expect broader film and laminate options and more consistent European feedstock, including farms co-located with offshore wind. Throughout this, design end-of-life from day one: the PPWR’s recyclability mandate and narrow compostability windows make system design, collection, sorting, and treatment, just as critical as the material choice[4].
Designing for Policy, Climate, and End-of-Life from Day One
For climate co-benefits, national labs (e.g., Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) and research groups highlight algae’s role in CO₂ removal or utilization, not a direct plastic solution, but part of the same carbon-to-materials arc investors now watch[5]. The European Commission’s 2025 study on a sustainable algae industry adds practical policy roadmaps while identifying barriers, permits, standards, consumer acceptance, which provide valuable context for go-to-market planning[6].
The significance of algae’s diverse range of applications is already visible in market stock-keeping units, identified as pouches, straws, shoes, coatings, and others. The opportunity now stands in pairing diversity with regulatory-ready design and scalable European supply, turning today’s pilots into tomorrow’s mainstream materials that meet performance, policy, and price requirements.
The article was written by Christopher Kennard (reframe.food), Project Communication Manager.
Sources:
[1] https://www.northseafarmers.org/news/first-ever-harvest-at-pioneering-north-sea-seaweed-farm-funded-by-amazons-right-now-climate-fund
[2] https://cordis.europa.eu/article/id/449950-algae-innovation-sustainable-alternatives-emerging-from-european-seas-and-waters
[3] https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/11/3842
[4] https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/waste-and-recycling/packaging-waste_en
[5] https://www.csiro.au/en/news/all/articles/2023/october/algae-slashing-emissions
[6] https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/publications/digital-publications/study-support-eu-sustainable-algae-industry_en