ALGANOVA

ALGANOVA – Advanced aLGAe biorefiNery for circular prOtein and food ingredient production through CO2 and food by-products VAlorisation

Project details

Type of project
Innovation Action - Demonstration
Feedstock origin
Agri-food waste
Feedstock type
Fishery by-product
Project period
1 June 2026 - 31 May 2030
Status
Upcoming
CBE JU Contribution
€ 5 665 281,94
Call identifier
HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025

Summary

The EU protein market remains largely dependent on animal sources, which account for approximately 55% of dietary intake. With global demand rising, meat and dairy production are expected to reach 400 and 800 million tonnes, respectively, by 2050. This model raises environmental and health concerns: livestock production is resource-intensive, requiring approximately 6 kg of plant protein per kg of meat, generating high greenhouse gas emissions and significant water use (up to 2,700 litres per kg of beef). 

ALGANOVA aims to develop and validate an integrated, computationally assisted, circular biorefinery for the sustainable production of food proteins and functional ingredients from microalgal biomass (Chlorella vulgaris and Dunaliella salina). Using agro-marine by-products and industrial biogenic CO₂ as feedstocks, the project will deliver protein extracts, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and carotenoids through parallel autotrophic and heterotrophic cultivation. 

By enabling full biomass transformation, ALGANOVA supports the transition towards scalable, resource-efficient and circular food systems in Europe, in line with key EU initiatives such as the Farm to Fork Strategy and Food 2030 Pathway.

  • Transform agro-marine by-products and industrial CO₂ into safe, nutrient-optimised feedstocks for microalgae cultivation. 
  • Develop an innovative algae-based biorefinery to produce high-protein biomass and high-value food ingredients. 
  • Implement cascade downstream processes to efficiently extract proteins, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and carotenoids from microalgae biomass. 
  • Design, optimise, and digitalise the ALGANOVA biorefinery using computational tools and digital twins of the bioreactors. 
  • Validate the safety, nutritional quality, and regulatory compliance of algae-derived ingredients and develop food product prototypes. 
  • Scale up the core bioprocesses to demonstration level (TRL 7) for biomass and ingredient production. 
  • Demonstrate the economic, environmental, and social sustainability of the integrated biorefinery and define its regulatory pathway. 
  • Maximise impact through communication, dissemination, exploitation, and value-chain stakeholder engagement. 

  • Reduce GHG emissions by ≥40% per kg of protein compared to conventional animal protein systems. 
  • Increase biomass productivity by ≥15% while cutting energy consumption in algae protein production by 20 - 30% through digital twin optimisation and predictive process control. 
  • Lower protein production costs to €3 - 4/kg (30 - 40% reduction), increasing competitiveness with plant-based proteins. 
  • Upcycle up to 95% of agro-marine by-products and transform 200 tonnes of biogenic CO₂ annually, advancing circular bioeconomy deployment. 
  • Reduce freshwater use to ~300 L/kg protein, significantly below soy and animal protein benchmarks. 
  • Decrease reliance on imported protein ingredients (currently ~70% in the EU), strengthening European food system autonomy, with a projected gross profit of over €5 million across 10 years of operation. 
  • Generate 35 - 40 direct and ~120 indirect jobs per replicated facility, supporting rural and bio-based industrial growth. 
  • Support market uptake of algae-based ingredients, reaching ≥50% purchase intent and ≥80% consumer trust scores. 
  • Improve public health outcomes through ≥80% protein digestibility and high-quality amino acid and polyunsaturated fatty acids profiles. 
  • Achieve 80% land-use savings compared to crop-based protein systems by transforming waste streams instead of dedicated arable land. 
  • Enable adoption of project results by ~1,800 researchers across 90 EU institutions by 2030, accelerating innovation in sustainable proteins. 

Consortium map

Project coordination

  • IDENER RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT AIE LA RINCONADA SEVILLA, Spain

Consortium

  • MTU AUSTRALO ALPHA LAB TALLINN, Estonia
  • FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG EV MUNCHEN, Germany
  • ASOCIACION NACIONAL DE FABRICANTES DE CONSERVAS Y PRODUCTOS TRANSFORMADOS DE PESCADOS Y MARISCOS CENTRO NACIONAL DE CONOCIMIENTO Y TECNOLOGIA PARA LA INDUSTRIA MARINA ACUICOLA Y ALIMENTARIA VIGO, Spain
  • RINA CONSULTING SPA GENOVA, Italy
  • RINA TECH UK LTD LEATHERHEAD SURREY, United Kingdom
  • UNIVERSIDADE NOVA DE LISBOA Lisboa, Portugal
  • ALGEMY INGREDIENTS SL Vic, Spain
  • ZERO EMISSIONS ENGINEERING BV Den Haag, Netherlands
  • A4F ALGA FUEL SA Lisboa, Portugal
  • CELABOR SCRL HERVE CHAINEUX, Belgium
  • RISE PROCESSUM AB Ornskoldsvik, Sweden