A knowledge-based training network for digitalisation of photosynthetic bioprocesses

Project Information

DigitAlgaesation

Grant agreement ID: 955520

DOI

10.3030/955520

Project closed

EC signature date 24 August 2020

Start date 1 March 2021

End date 28 February 2025

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 4 043 982,24

EU contribution

€ 4 043 982,24

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PADOVA
Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - DigitAlgaesation (A knowledge-based training network for digitalisation of photosynthetic bioprocesses)

Reporting period: 2023-03-01 to 2025-02-28

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Quest for sources for chemicals, fuels, and food in a sustainable way is one of the great challenges facing humanity. The exploitation of photosynthesis can provide the key to make advances in this direction because it uses an inexhaustible source of energy (light) and a chemical component (CO2) that is abundant in the atmosphere and whose level shall be lowered to obtain a climate resilient environment. In this context, microalgae seem to be the most interesting organisms due to their high photosynthetic yields compared to terrestrial plants, due to their low need of agricultural land and drinkable water, and due to their valuable biochemical composition rich in proteins and lipid content.
Despite their enormous potential, industrial use of microalgae is still at an early stage of development. The capability of converting solar light energy into chemical energy, is about 10% and the light conversion efficiency is maximally 5% in lab-scale equipment and
is never beyond 2% in industrial facilities. The objective of DigitAlgaesation is to propose a digitalisation approach to optimise control and operation of microalgae cultivation processes and to maximise their light conversion efficiency.

To obtain this, three bottlenecks have to be overcome. The first one is the lack of suitable sensors and of effective monitoring techniques in industrial applications limiting the efficiency in the management of large-scale algae cultivation. The second is, despite the recent advances, the lack of robust control methodologies for microalgae cultivation which usually take into consideration only one parameter (pH, concentration, etc.) at a time and are not capable to represent the complexity that characterize microalgae cultivation systems.
The third bottleneck is related to the lack of specific skills and competencies to manage large scale cultivation.

The Digitalgaesation project therefore aims to:
- develop a sound modelling approach at the process scale valid for different microalgae of industrial interest capable to describe the dynamics of the photosynthetic phenomena (response to light and temperature fluctuations) and metabolic fluxes that are relevant to an effective automatic control strategy in an industrial environment;
- develop a reliable smart monitoring approach for measuring and/or estimating the biological key performance indicators (KPIs) required for model identification and to support an effective control system (i.e. biomass concentration, cell concentration and morphology, concentration of intracellular products, physiological state of microalgae, presence of competitors/grazers): new optical online in-situ sensors will be developed as well as AI and machine learning technology for soft sensors development;
- develop and implement automatic control strategies in real industrial systems characterized by non-ideal behaviour in the presence of uncertainty, to achieve high level of productivity, and reduce manpower and energy costs while maintaining a constant product quality;
- train new innovation leaders so that they can acquire the multidisciplinary skills required to make a difference in such a complex and challenging research environment, and to boost industrial potential towards excellence and widespread impact

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During the Digitaglgaesation project the following steps were accomplished:
- Managing structure of the project was set: each partner nominated their representatives in the Supervisory Board,
- All fifteen early stage researchers (ESR) were selected among more than hundred applicants from thirty eight countries and signed their contract with the related hosting institution
- 15 ESRs performed at least two secondment periods in public institutions and private companies collaborating with local research laboratories and with the local ESRs belonging to the Digitlgaesation Network
- Three new Partner Organizations joined the partnership widening the choices for collaboration and exchange of knowledge
- Nine network-wide training activities were organized by University of Padova (UNIPD, 3 events), University of Wageningen (WU, 1 event), the National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology (INRIA, 1 event), Siemens Process Systems Engineering and Imperial College London (PSE & IC, 1 event), Technical University of Dresden (TUD, 1 event), Leibniz University of Hanover (LUH, 1 event) and University of Almeria (UAL, 1 event). All the trainings were actively participated by ESRs
- Nine ESRs already successfully concluded their PhD, the remainig six are going to obtain the PhD by 2025.
- Research activities led to promising results in all three fields of investigation of the Digitalgaesation project (biological modelling and understanding, digitalisation for monitoring, digitalisation for control) producing more than 28 publications in international peer reviewd journals
- Communication and dissemination activities were implemented by all partners presenting the project intervention logic and its results to researchers, investors, customers and general public

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Expected results until the end of the project are:
- Dissemination of the research results: research activities performed in the Digitalgaesation project shall be disseminated by 30 publications in high-ranking scientific journals, 30 scientific presentations at international conferences, 45 oral and poster presentations in Digitalgaesation workshops, 30 Presentations at local PhD-seminars, 1 DigitAlgaesation special issue on Algal Research, Dissemination events for industry and policy makers.
- Improvement of performance in microalgae cultivation systems such as: i) increased biomass productivity (estimated between +20% and +100%); ii) reduced water requirements (-50%); iii) reduced labour costs (-30%) and complexity of manual operations; iv) higher product quality standardisation and higher valued-added; v) reduced nitrogen and phosphate usage (-30%); and vi) reduced production costs (between -20% and -30%).
- Exploitation of the results of industrial/commercial interest by: i) making use of results in further research activities; ii) extending links to representative of international and national funding organisations; iii) creating close connection with Professional Associations; iv) creating links to policy makers and political stakeholders.
- Enhancement of the career perspectives and employability of ESRs and contribution to their skills development by: providing excellent research skills in the emerging field of microalgae manufacturing; providing excellent communication skills on new, transversal disciplines; iii) providing profound understanding of industrial environments, entrepreneurship and innovations; iv) providing the environment to develop team-working and leadership skills and new language skills.

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