Description du projet
Cultiver des microalgues pour réduire la faim dans le monde
La population mondiale ne cesse d’augmenter, elle devrait atteindre 9,8 milliards de personnes d’ici 2050. L’un des défis les plus importants consiste à garantir que la production alimentaire parvienne à suivre le rythme. Sans surprise, les entreprises alimentaires se penchent sur des méthodes alternatives de production alimentaire. Le projet BioSolar Leaf, financé par l’UE, adopte une approche naturelle. Il s’agit du premier système de culture qui exploite les microalgues et la lumière du soleil afin de produire des aliments naturels, durables et sains. Cette usine pilote produira des additifs alimentaires sains et durables tout en purifiant l’air, en produisant de l’oxygène et en éliminant le dioxyde de carbone du milieu environnant. Ses ingrédients sont véganes et n’ont pas d’OGM ni d’hormones, et la technologie permet la culture stérile afin d’éliminer la contamination externe et de produire des ingrédients les plus propres et purs possibles.
Objectif
The global population recently surpassed 7 billion and is projected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050. Food demand
is expected to increase to 3B tons in 2050, an increase of 43% compared to 2009. This in turn will have dramatic
consequences not only on humans’ health that will consume lower quality food produced by means of less capital-intensive
techniques, but also on the earth that will be strained by climate change, increasing drought frequency and severity, soil
depletion and disease, and water pollution. Ensuring sustainable sources of food in light of these issues is of critical
importance for society as well as the environment. Food companies are therefore turning to alternative methods of food
production to meet the growing demands and regularly use artificial food ingredients to provide necessary levels of protein
and nutrients. Arborea has developed the BioSolar Leaf, the world’s first cultivation system which
harnesses microalgae and sunlight to produce healthy, sustainable natural food ingredients. Microalgae has great potential
for cultivation as they contain lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, micronutrients, antioxidants and can be cultivated under harsh
climatic environments. The BioSolar Leaf cultivation system is the only sustainable ground-breaking algae cultivation system that
enables complete control of ideal culturing parameters for production of natural food ingredients. Arborea’s ingredients are
wholly vegan, GMO and hormone free, and the technology permits a sterile cultivation that eliminates external
contamination, to produce the cleanest and purest ingredients. During the feasibility assessment, Arborea will size the
market, establish a go-to-market strategy and a supply chain. BioSolar Leaf will then be validated in collaboration with food
producers to demonstrate the effectiveness of the technology.
Champ scientifique
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologyphycology
- engineering and technologychemical engineeringseparation technologies
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculescarbohydrates
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesenvironmental sciencespollution
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes
Programme(s)
Régime de financement
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1Coordinateur
CR77ER THORNTON HEATH
Royaume-Uni
L’entreprise s’est définie comme une PME (petite et moyenne entreprise) au moment de la signature de la convention de subvention.