Project description
Reimagining food production for dinner in space
How can we grow food with no soil, no farms, and no pollution? The EIC-funded SOLARSPOON project is pioneering an approach using sunlight, air, and water to directly produce proteins and lipids. By integrating photosynthetic bacteria and food-producing microbes into biohybrid photoelectrochemical devices, SOLARSPOON enables solar-powered conversion of CO2 and nitrogen into edible materials. The system uses cyanobacteria and organic dyes to generate energy-rich substrates, feeding microbial cultures housed within the same device. The goal is to surpass the efficiency of traditional agriculture and reach 1 % solar-conversion efficiency. From remote communities to future space missions, SOLARSPOON’s vision of clean, decentralised food production could redefine how and where humanity feeds itself.
Objective
Biohybrid systems offer unique energy-efficient routes to harness solar energy for the fixation of CO2 and nitrogen into valuable, complex molecules. This project will integrate living photosynthetic bacteria and food-producing autotrophic bacteria into stand-alone photoelectrochemical devices tailored for the direct production of proteins and lipids from sunlight, air and water. Cyanobacteria will supply electrons via light-driven water oxidation, organic dyes will provide these electrons with sufficient energy to generate substrates that would directly feed either a culture or a consortia of food producing microorganisms in the same device. The result will be the demonstration of the first direct conversion of CO2 and N2 from air to protein- or lipid-rich food materials using solar energy, with the aim to produce a prototype that can reach 1% solar-conversion efficiency or surpass present food production processes via agriculture.
Our bioengineering efforts will focus on three key innovations: (i) overcoming complex electron transfer pathway barriers at the cell-electrode interface, aided by the coupling of electrode engineering with advanced modelling of the interface; (ii) expanding the range of Solar-to-X products to two essential food groups (proteins and lipids), enabled by the formation of novel microbial consortia on redox polymer films that mitigate their conflicting microenvironment needs; and iii) device engineering that synergizes the different outputs and needs of the bio-anode and cathode whilst also facilitating easy food-product collection. The delivery of our envisioned Solar-to-Food devices will open the door to re-imagining sustainable food production for off-grid locations, kitchens in future households and spaceships. Current food industries, such as our partner Solar Foods, would be an immediate benefactor. Our envisioned solar-to-lipids production process could be a stepping stone to fuels production lines of the future.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology environmental engineering energy and fuels renewable energy solar energy
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries agriculture sustainable agriculture
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology bacteriology
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules lipids
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-EIC - HORIZON EIC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-EIC-2024-PATHFINDERCHALLENGES-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
CB2 1TN CAMBRIDGE
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.