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BIONÆR-Bionæringsprogram

Microalgae contributions to future protein and fatty acid rich feed for production of Norwegian chicken at industrial scale

Alternative title: Mikroalgers bidrag til fremtidig protein og fettsyrerikt fôr for produksjon av norsk kylling i industriell skala

Awarded: NOK 11.0 mill.

The main goal of the project is to create a knowledge and technology platform for production and use of chicken feed with proteins and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) from Norwegian microalgae biomass. The project consortium includes the whole production/value chain. NIBIO is a research institute with strong competence on cultivation of varying microalgae species at lab-scale and Norgesfôr has competence and expertise on preparing feed for poultry. Norsk Kylling will replace imported soy in chicken feed with proteins based on microalgae biomass produced in Norway. The transition from lab-scale production to industrial pilot scale production will be managed by Algæ, a company with a business vision to become an important industrial microalgae producer. The project will enable the production, at pilot-scale, of a targeted protein- and PUFA rich microalgae biomass as ingredients in chicken feed. In parallel with this project development, Algæ will, together with Norgesfôr and Norsk Kylling, and based on the pilot-scale results of the project, lay the fundaments for industrial-scale microalgae cultivation. Shelf life studies of microalgae biomass with regard to nutrient composition - will be performed to ensure stable and reproducible products. A challenge is to reduce production costs throughout the production line to obtain competitive feed and chicken prices. The project also addresses this by e.g. using CO2 from biogas and/or industrial emissions in the microalgae biomass production. There are many potential benefits to society from producing plant-based high-quality proteins and fatty acids without need for arable land, including the self-sufficiency context (reduced or no import) and the environmental context related to e.g. long-distance transport of soy and climate considerations. Put together this has the potential to secure the resource base for existing agriculture industry and create a new feed and food industry.

A successful ALGEKYLLING project has the potential to sustain a rich in protein and PUFA based Norwegian feed industry that will benefit, in the first instance, the Norwegian poultry industry. The potential benefits to society from producing high quality proteins and fatty acids, at the lowest possible trophic level without need for arable land, are many. The ALGEKYLLING project is catalysed under a self-suffiency and bioeconomy umbrella. The project will enable the production, at pilot-scale, of a targeted protein and PUFA rich algae biomass as ingredient in chicken feed, to be followed up at a later stage, with full-scale industrial production as a result of a successful implementation of the project. Warrant for such a development is the ALGEKYLLING consortium that includes the whole production/value chain from NIBIO at labscale, as a research institute with strong expertise on cultivation of varying microalgae species, through Norgesfôr with its strong expertise on preparing feed for poultry to Norsk Kylling that will replace imported soya in chicken feed with microalgae proteins and fatty acids from Norway. The transition from lab-scale production to industrial pilot scale production will be managed by Algæ, a company with a business vision to become an important industrial microalgae producer. An important challenge in the project is reduction of production costs throughout the production line. ALGEKYLLING addresses this also within the research part of the project using e.g. CO2 from biogas/industrial emissions, as the carbon source in the microalgae production. Storage sensitivity of microalgae biomass with regard to nutrient composition - shelf life- will be performed to ensure stable and reproducible products. In parallel with the ALGEKYLLING project development, Algæ will, together with Norgesfôr and Norsk Kylling, and based on the ALGEKYLLING pilot-scale results, lay the fundaments for industrial-scale microalgae biomass cultivation.

Funding scheme:

BIONÆR-Bionæringsprogram