Periodic Reporting for period 1 - AlgaePro BANOS (Accelerating algae product developments in Baltic and North Sea)
Reporting period: 2023-04-01 to 2024-09-30
The AlgaeProBANOS project addresses a challenge in the Baltic and North Sea (BANOS) area: how to harmonise economic development with social and environmental goals in line with the Mission Ocean. The project brings together 26 expert and industry partners from the BANOS area and beyond, to accelerate product development and market access of sustainable algae solutions.
There is a rising demand for green healthy natural consumer and bio-based products, and algae can become the biomass resource of the future, without using fresh water, arable land, or added fertilisers and or pesticides. Both the Baltic and North sea engulf the necessary conditions to scale up production and produce both commodity and sophisticated algae- based products. Spanning four years and with a budget of over €12 million, of which around €1 million is to be contributed by SMEs, AlgaeProBANOS will focus on leveraging the unique properties of algae to create new, high-value products and services for a variety of applications.
Through the project, the 26 partners and affiliated entities of the AlgaeProBANOS consortium will build acceleration networks and digital solutions to support algae businesses, while running six business pilots across the Baltic and North Sea region, making use of both micro- and macroalgae for applications in food, feed, nutraceuticals, textiles, cosmetics and plant biostimulants. The project will bring eight innovative algae-based products to market, helping to meet the growing demand for ecologically friendly, high quality circular bio-based goods. To ensure the social, environmental and economic sustainability and circularity of the algae sector, partners will develop a framework, while working directly with consumers to raise awareness and ensure new products meet end-user demands and trends.
At a meta level, the Algae Accelerator develops new and aggregates existing knowledge, and develops a portfolio of solutions, guidelines and a collaboration and training platform, to benefit the entire algae industry and nourish it into a thriving industry by 2050. The legacy of AlgaeProBANOS will be deposited to the Ocean Mission BANOS and the EU4Algae.
There is a rising demand for green healthy natural consumer and bio-based products, and algae can become the biomass resource of the future, without using fresh water, arable land, or added fertilisers and or pesticides. Both the Baltic and North sea engulf the necessary conditions to scale up production and produce both commodity and sophisticated algae- based products. Spanning four years and with a budget of over €12 million, of which around €1 million is to be contributed by SMEs, AlgaeProBANOS will focus on leveraging the unique properties of algae to create new, high-value products and services for a variety of applications.
Through the project, the 26 partners and affiliated entities of the AlgaeProBANOS consortium will build acceleration networks and digital solutions to support algae businesses, while running six business pilots across the Baltic and North Sea region, making use of both micro- and macroalgae for applications in food, feed, nutraceuticals, textiles, cosmetics and plant biostimulants. The project will bring eight innovative algae-based products to market, helping to meet the growing demand for ecologically friendly, high quality circular bio-based goods. To ensure the social, environmental and economic sustainability and circularity of the algae sector, partners will develop a framework, while working directly with consumers to raise awareness and ensure new products meet end-user demands and trends.
At a meta level, the Algae Accelerator develops new and aggregates existing knowledge, and develops a portfolio of solutions, guidelines and a collaboration and training platform, to benefit the entire algae industry and nourish it into a thriving industry by 2050. The legacy of AlgaeProBANOS will be deposited to the Ocean Mission BANOS and the EU4Algae.
Scientific outcomes and impacts
AlgaeProBANOS focuses on sustainable macroalgae biomass supply. During the first half of the project, this will be achieved through a scientifically underpinned wild-harvesting and monitoring strategy to preserve the existing wild seaweed ecosystems whilst at the same time fulfilling the industry’s needs. During the second part of the project, scalable cultivation protocols will be developed to assure sufficient feedstock supply through dedicated aquaculture for the most economically interesting species (Furcellaria, Fucus, Saccharina). Protocols and lessons learnt from these activities can be multiplied in the Baltic and North Sea region. It is estimated that based on AlgaeProBANOS results, 5-10 new small-medium farms can be developed in the region for Fucus and Furcellaria by 2030. The GRASS project has developed additional material with a map-based support on where to place a farm and national guidelines for licensing farms.
Microalgae cultivation: microalgae cultivation will be optimised in terms of nutrient, water use and economy. Initially, nutrient use of commercially available algae systems will be monitored, and a medium recipe will be formulated to maximise productivity with minimal inputs. Medium recirculation trials will also be evaluated, and a protocol will be proposed to remove molecules that might accumulate and hinder the algae growth. WP3 will increase substitution of mineral nutrients by agricultural or food side streams. Using reclaimed nutrients will improve the environmental footprint of microalgae cultivation and reduce operating expenses (WP1). A new technology for harvesting will be also scaled up to reduce energy needs. Publications, tech demos and patent licensing for the microalgae pilots, can be multiplied across the EU industry.
Economic/technological outcomes and impacts
AlgaeProBANOS aims to verify the technical and economic feasibility of the processing of algae into several products with a range of market values. Within the next 5-10 years, APB-related revenue is expected to come from products such as food, feed, cosmetics, functional textiles, biostimulants and nutraceuticals.
Societal outcomes and impacts
The mission of the AlgaeProBANOS lighthouse is to create societal benefits for communities on the Baltic and North Sea and throughout Europe. The algae industry offers exceptional potential to create socio-economic and environmental value. Yet there are also risks from poorly planned upscaling such as local nutrient depletion, an industry supply chain that includes environmentally damaging inputs, and overheating local economies. To maximise societal benefits and to ensure that industrial development minimises risks, socio-economic, environmental, and capacity appraisals will be undertaken (WP1, WP7). The appraisals will initially be used to inform the SME pilots to help with product design and business model development. Findings from the programme and other Ocean Mission initiatives will be used to inform the final commercialisation and GTM strategy (WP7).
AlgaeProBANOS focuses on sustainable macroalgae biomass supply. During the first half of the project, this will be achieved through a scientifically underpinned wild-harvesting and monitoring strategy to preserve the existing wild seaweed ecosystems whilst at the same time fulfilling the industry’s needs. During the second part of the project, scalable cultivation protocols will be developed to assure sufficient feedstock supply through dedicated aquaculture for the most economically interesting species (Furcellaria, Fucus, Saccharina). Protocols and lessons learnt from these activities can be multiplied in the Baltic and North Sea region. It is estimated that based on AlgaeProBANOS results, 5-10 new small-medium farms can be developed in the region for Fucus and Furcellaria by 2030. The GRASS project has developed additional material with a map-based support on where to place a farm and national guidelines for licensing farms.
Microalgae cultivation: microalgae cultivation will be optimised in terms of nutrient, water use and economy. Initially, nutrient use of commercially available algae systems will be monitored, and a medium recipe will be formulated to maximise productivity with minimal inputs. Medium recirculation trials will also be evaluated, and a protocol will be proposed to remove molecules that might accumulate and hinder the algae growth. WP3 will increase substitution of mineral nutrients by agricultural or food side streams. Using reclaimed nutrients will improve the environmental footprint of microalgae cultivation and reduce operating expenses (WP1). A new technology for harvesting will be also scaled up to reduce energy needs. Publications, tech demos and patent licensing for the microalgae pilots, can be multiplied across the EU industry.
Economic/technological outcomes and impacts
AlgaeProBANOS aims to verify the technical and economic feasibility of the processing of algae into several products with a range of market values. Within the next 5-10 years, APB-related revenue is expected to come from products such as food, feed, cosmetics, functional textiles, biostimulants and nutraceuticals.
Societal outcomes and impacts
The mission of the AlgaeProBANOS lighthouse is to create societal benefits for communities on the Baltic and North Sea and throughout Europe. The algae industry offers exceptional potential to create socio-economic and environmental value. Yet there are also risks from poorly planned upscaling such as local nutrient depletion, an industry supply chain that includes environmentally damaging inputs, and overheating local economies. To maximise societal benefits and to ensure that industrial development minimises risks, socio-economic, environmental, and capacity appraisals will be undertaken (WP1, WP7). The appraisals will initially be used to inform the SME pilots to help with product design and business model development. Findings from the programme and other Ocean Mission initiatives will be used to inform the final commercialisation and GTM strategy (WP7).
Key needs will be identified and reported on later in the project.