Next level process integration in microalgae biotechnology with digital applications (MIDAS)
Main funder
Funder's project number: 352764
Funds granted by main funder (€)
- 448 852,00
Funding program
Project timetable
Project start date: 01/01/2023
Project end date: 31/12/2025
Summary
Photosynthetic microalgae bind carbon dioxide and nutrients into their biomass while producing valuable compounds for energy, food, and raw materials. Therefore, microalgae belong to the most promising green commodities of these sectors. The sustainability of microalgal culturing is further promoted by use of waste streams as nutrient and carbon source, as a direct example of implementation of circular economy. However, the greatest challenge for their large-scale exploitation is their varying productivity in unstable climatic and light conditions, such as northern latitudes, leading to low economic viability of overall microalgae biotechnology. The MIDAS consortium will address the challenge by developing integration of the microalgae-based processes with the help of selected sensorics and computational methods. The consortium will focus on carbon capture and nutrient removal utilizing microalgae cultivation in industrial and aquaculture wastewaters, and the downstream processing of the cultivations, including harvesting microalgae biomass for experimental hydrogen production via biophotolysis. The composition of microalgae biomass will be analysed in each step of the value-chain to evaluate its nutritional and commercial value. In parallel, digital monitoring and analytics based on hyperspectral and Raman sensors will be introduced to monitor and control the multiphased production chain. This research will promote efficient integration within the microalgae-based processes, strengthening the microalgae economy in zones where natural light and warmth are not optimally available; the efficiency of connected and controlled processes exceeding the viability of single processes detached from the value chain. MIDAS consortium will strengthen and extend the work of ROBA Veturi consortium that is funded by Business Finland for years 2022-2023 and that benchmarks technologies for carbon capture and monitoring.
