Summary
Microalgae can play a critical role in meeting EU targets to increase the share of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) in the aviation industry from 2% in 2025 to 64% by 2050. SusAlgaeFuel will develop integrated approaches in a circular production model towards the first cost-competitive (reduced by 49% from 12.3 to 6.3 $/kg HEFA) and efficient microalgae SAF: a) direct capture of CO2 emissions from biogas upgrading from Anaerobic Digestion (AD) and utilisation of waste liquid digestate as low-cost nutrient source to support algae growth; b) novel in-line process analytical technology complemented with machine learning and selective UV irradiation to monitor and purify bacterial contamination in algae culture; c) cascading biorefinery that relies on energy-saving autolysis and maximises solvent recycling to fractionate biomass into lipids (for jet fuel), protein serum (for feed) and cellulose-rich biomass residue (for further fuel conversion) at low energy & solvent requirements; d) algae-specific thermocatalytic pathways for efficient conversion of algae-lipids to Hydroprocessed Esters Fatty Acids-Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene (HEFA-SPK) and residue to kerosene followed by a range of purification methods for fuel refinement to meet international aviation standards & certification.
Process simulations, techno economic & LCA will be performed to assess scalability from economic, social & environmental perspectives and to identify process improvements. A dedicated commercialisation plan and policy recommendations will be produced to guide future technology transfer from lab to industry. SusAlgaeFuel will culminate in the building & operation of a pilot-scale algal facility on an AD operator site in Ireland (TRL5) with the capacity to directly capture CO2 from AD flue gas, use waste digestate and produce ≥10 kg of algae lipids per year. Successful future scaling of the technology has the potential to deliver 20% of EU’s projected SAF requirements of 5Mt in 2030.
Process simulations, techno economic & LCA will be performed to assess scalability from economic, social & environmental perspectives and to identify process improvements. A dedicated commercialisation plan and policy recommendations will be produced to guide future technology transfer from lab to industry. SusAlgaeFuel will culminate in the building & operation of a pilot-scale algal facility on an AD operator site in Ireland (TRL5) with the capacity to directly capture CO2 from AD flue gas, use waste digestate and produce ≥10 kg of algae lipids per year. Successful future scaling of the technology has the potential to deliver 20% of EU’s projected SAF requirements of 5Mt in 2030.
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More information & hyperlinks
| Web resources: | https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101147601 |
| Start date: | 01-05-2024 |
| End date: | 30-04-2028 |
| Total budget - Public funding: | 3 470 878,75 Euro - 3 470 878,00 Euro |
Cordis data
Original description
Microalgae can play a critical role in meeting EU targets to increase the share of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) in the aviation industry from 2% in 2025 to 64% by 2050. SusAlgaeFuel will develop integrated approaches in a circular production model towards the first cost-competitive (reduced by 49% from 12.3 to 6.3 $/kg HEFA) and efficient microalgae SAF: a) direct capture of CO2 emissions from biogas upgrading from Anaerobic Digestion (AD) and utilisation of waste liquid digestate as low-cost nutrient source to support algae growth; b) novel in-line process analytical technology complemented with machine learning and selective UV irradiation to monitor and purify bacterial contamination in algae culture; c) cascading biorefinery that relies on energy-saving autolysis and maximises solvent recycling to fractionate biomass into lipids (for jet fuel), protein serum (for feed) and cellulose-rich biomass residue (for further fuel conversion) at low energy & solvent requirements; d) algae-specific thermocatalytic pathways for efficient conversion of algae-lipids to Hydroprocessed Esters Fatty Acids-Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene (HEFA-SPK) and residue to kerosene followed by a range of purification methods for fuel refinement to meet international aviation standards & certification.Process simulations, techno economic & LCA will be performed to assess scalability from economic, social & environmental perspectives and to identify process improvements. A dedicated commercialisation plan and policy recommendations will be produced to guide future technology transfer from lab to industry. SusAlgaeFuel will culminate in the building & operation of a pilot-scale algal facility on an AD operator site in Ireland (TRL5) with the capacity to directly capture CO2 from AD flue gas, use waste digestate and produce ≥10 kg of algae lipids per year. Successful future scaling of the technology has the potential to deliver 20% of EU’s projected SAF requirements of 5Mt in 2030.
Status
SIGNEDCall topic
HORIZON-CL5-2023-D3-02-08Update Date
05-11-2024
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Geographical location(s)
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Organisations
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| University College Dublin (UCD) (Coördinator)
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| A4F ALGAFUEL SA
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| BIA ENERGY LIMITED
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| EUROPEAN SCIENCE COMMUNICATION INSTITUTE (ESCI) GGMBH
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| FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
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| IRIS
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| Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
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| SUSTAINABLE FLIGHT SOLUTIONS LIMITED
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| THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE