Project description DEENESFRITPL Improving photosynthetic solar energy conversion for biofuels and high value products Solar energy is the most abundant renewable energy source available, and light energy conversion into chemical energy by photosynthetic organisms, such as algae, is the main energy conversion mechanism. Microalgae exploitation for biofuel production has the considerable advantages of being sustainable and not in competition with food production. Currently, the maximum photosynthetic efficiency achievable in microalgae is 10 %. However, estimations point to a potential production of up to 80 %. The ERC-funded SOLENALGAE project will probe the molecular basis for efficient light energy conversion into chemical energy, in order to increase the biomass production in microalgae, by investigating the principles of light energy conversion with biotechnological engineering of algal strains. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective Solar Energy is the most abundant renewable energy source available for our Planet. Light energy conversion into chemical energy by photosynthetic organisms is indeed the main conversion energy step, which originated high energy containing fossil deposits, now being depleted. By the way, plant or algae biomass may still be used to produce biofuels, as bio-ethanol, bio-diesel and bio-hydrogen. Microalgae exploitation for biofuels production have the considerable advantages of being sustainable and not in competition with food production, since not-arable lands, waste water and industrial gasses can be used for algae cultivation. Considering that only 45% of the sunlight covers the range of wavelengths that can be absorbed and used for photosynthesis, the maximum photosynthetic efficiency achievable in microalgae is 10%. On these bases, a photobioreactor carrying 600 l/m-2 would produce 294 Tons/ha/year of biomass of which 30% to 80%, depending on strain and growth conditions, being oil. However this potential has not been exploited yet, since biomass and biofuels yield on industrial scale obtained up to now were relatively low and with high costs of production. The main limitation encountered for sustained biomass production in microalgae by sunlight conversion is low light use efficiency, reduced from the theoretical value of 10% to 1-3%. This low light use efficiency is mainly due to a combined effect of reduced light penetration to deeper layers in highly pigmented cultures, where light available is almost completely absorbed by the outer layers, and an extremely high (up to 80%) thermal dissipation of the light absorbed. This project aims to investigate the molecular basis for efficient light energy conversion into chemical energy, in order to significantly increase the biomass production in microalgae combining a solid investigation of the principles of light energy conversion with biotechnological engineering of algal strains. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologyphycologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsgenomesagricultural sciencesagricultural biotechnologybiomassengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsenergy conversion Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Topic(s) ERC-StG-2015 - ERC Starting Grant Call for proposal ERC-2015-STG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-STG - Starting Grant Host institution UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI VERONA Net EU contribution € 1 341 875,00 Address VIA DELL ARTIGLIERE 8 37129 Verona Italy See on map Region Nord-Est Veneto Verona Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 1 341 875,00 Beneficiaries (2) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI VERONA Italy Net EU contribution € 1 341 875,00 Address VIA DELL ARTIGLIERE 8 37129 Verona See on map Region Nord-Est Veneto Verona Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 1 341 875,00 POLITECNICO DI MILANO Italy Net EU contribution € 100 000,00 Address PIAZZA LEONARDO DA VINCI 32 20133 Milano See on map Region Nord-Ovest Lombardia Milano Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 100 000,00