During the initial phase of the project Deep Branch has been working towards the deployment of a first-in-class pilot facility for the production of Proton™ (a single cell crotein (SCP)) product, Proton™. This process requires the use ofcarbon dioxide,hydrogen and oxygen gases as inputs, as well as a simple solution of other nutients The facility has been designed to achieve operational production capacities necessary to service application development work in animal feed. Early product batches from the pilot facility will be directed towards further demonstration of Proton™’s efficacy as a protein ingredient in compound animal feeds across both aquaculture and poultry markets.
To date, the project has successfully progressed through a series of deployment phases for the pilot, from Concept through to Detailed Design, and most recently facility installation phases. Significant procurement activities were undertaken following the extensive design phases, and final phases of deployment are nearing completion for the first-of-a-kind facility, including installation activities for both the core system and the supporting infrastructure of the wider facility.
Moreover, small volumes of Proton™ production has continued from our lab in Nottingham (UK). These volumes were used to validate the nutritious value of the product.
The completion of the installation phase of the project is set for the end of 2023, with commissioning of the pilot and the subsequent first production campaign scheduled for the first quarter of 2024. The final result of the project will be a fully bespoke Pilot Plant, at the Deep Branch Scale-up Hub located on the Brightlands Campus, Geleen, Netherlands.
