Algae offer potential to produce renewable chemicals and fuels using solar energy and carbon dioxide from atmosphere or in flue gases while simultaneously reducing the generation of greenhouse gases. Since these can be grown on marginal lands with micronutrients and macronutrients often present in waste streams, algae-based chemicals and fuels do not compete with foods. Still large-scale production of algae-based fuels and chemicals faces considerable technological and economical challenges and it would by necessity require a biorefinery approach wherein all the possible algal components are converted into value-added compounds. The present series on algal biorefineries represents a forum for reporting the state of the art of