Integrated Carbon and Resource Recovery for Sustainable Bioenergy and Energy Systems

The transition toward carbon neutrality and circular resource use requires integrated biological approaches that can simultaneously capture carbon, recover valuable resources, and produce renewable energy. Microalgae and engineered microbial consortia offer promising platforms for this synergistic integration, enabling pollutant remediation, nutrient and carbon recovery, biomass production, and subsequent conversion into bioenergy and value-added products. Recent advances in biological carbon capture and utilization (Bio-CCU), metabolic engineering, and artificial intelligence are creating new opportunities to improve carbon conversion, resource recovery, and bioenergy production. However, challenges remain in achieving efficient process integration, intelligent regulation, scalable operation, and comprehensive sustainability evaluation.This Research Topic focuses on integrated approaches connecting wastewater and waste-stream treatment with carbon capture and utilization, resource recovery, biomass valorization, and sustainable bioenergy production. Particular attention will be given to microalgae and microalgae-bacteria consortia for nutrient recovery, pollutant removal, CO₂ capture and utilization, and biomass production. The integration of Bio-CCU with bioenergy production and multi-product biorefineries is especially encouraged, including the conversion of recovered carbon and biomass into biofuels, bioenergy, and value-added bioproducts. Contributions exploring AI-driven intelligent regulation, predictive modeling, real-time monitoring, and process optimization are also welcomed to improve the efficiency, stability, and adaptability of integrated biological systems.The Research Topic also welcomes studies evaluating the environmental, economic, and systemic sustainability of these integrated platforms. Life-cycle assessment (LCA), techno-economic analysis (TEA), and circular bioeconomy evaluation are encouraged to assess resource efficiency, carbon reduction, energy recovery, and practical deployment potential. By connecting carbon capture and utilization, resource recovery, intelligent bioprocess regulation, and renewable energy production, this collection aims to support scalable solutions addressing interconnected carbon, water, energy, and resource challenges.Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:• Microalgae and microalgae-bacteria consortia for wastewater treatment, nutrient recovery, carbon capture, and biomass production;• Integrated carbon capture, resource recovery, and bioenergy production;• Bio-CCU and CO₂ valorization into bioenergy and value-added bioproducts;• Engineered microbial consortia and metabolic engineering for resource recovery and biomass valorization;• Multi-product biorefineries and conversion of recovered biomass into biofuels and bioproducts;• AI-driven intelligent regulation, predictive modeling, and real-time monitoring of biological systems;• Integrated wastewater-to-energy and waste-to-energy systems;• Circular bioeconomy evaluation, LCA, TEA, process scale-up, and systems-level sustainability.Contributions demonstrating the synergistic integration of carbon capture, resource recovery, intelligent process regulation, and bioenergy production are particularly encouraged. Topic editors: Muhammad Mubashar, Zhen Zhang, Aqib Zafar Khan, EBRU KOCA AKKAYA Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/85891/integrated-carbon-and-resource-recovery-for-sustainable-bioenergy-and-energy-systems