Hydrothermal liquefaction aqueous wastes (HTLAWs) were fully characterized by GC–MS. 93.4% COD of algae-HTLAW was effectively removed by R. jostii RHA1. Wood-HTLAW promoted lipid accumulation of 0.43 g lipid/g CDW in R. opacus PD630. Both of the single culture and coculture of Rhodococci strains were employed. HTLAWs can be potentially converted to lipids by Rhodococci for biofuel production.