Skip to main navigation Skip to search Skip to main content

Neo-Carbon Food concept: A pilot-scale hybrid biological–inorganic system with direct air capture of carbon dioxide

    • Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

    Abstract

    The pace at which the human population is growing raises serious concerns related to food security while at the same time conventional agriculture-based food production is becoming a major cause of environmental pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Numerous solutions have been proposed to boost food production among which edible microbial biomass is considered a promising alternative to conventional sources of food and feed with lower environmental footprint. This work introduces the Neo-Carbon Food concept that is a pilot-scale hybrid biological–inorganic process suitable for the production of microbial biomass. The concept includes integrated hydrogen production by water electrolysis, direct air capture (DAC) of carbon dioxide, and its subsequent assimilation by autotrophic hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria (HOB). The hydrogen production with in situ electrolysis achieved specific energy consumption just below 100 kWh/kgH2 while the specific energy consumption of DAC was around 20 kWh/kgCO2.

    Original languageEnglish
    Article number123423
    JournalJournal of Cleaner Production
    Volume278
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2021
    MoE publication typeA1 Journal article-refereed

    Funding

    This work was supported by the Academy of Finland [grant numbers 295883 , 295866 ]; the Technology Industries of Finland Centennial Foundation with Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation [grant “Feed and food from carbon dioxide and electricity–research and piloting of the future protein production."]

    UN SDGs

    This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

    1. SDG 2 - Zero Hunger
      SDG 2 Zero Hunger
    2. SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
      SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy
    3. SDG 13 - Climate Action
      SDG 13 Climate Action

    Keywords

    • Carbon dioxide
    • Direct air capture
    • Hybrid biological-inorganic system
    • In situ water electrolysis
    • Microbial protein

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Neo-Carbon Food concept: A pilot-scale hybrid biological–inorganic system with direct air capture of carbon dioxide'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this