The FAO predicts that we’ll need 100% more plant crops by 2050; however, crop yield improvement is slowing rapidly (now down to 1-2% annually) and it is hard to find new land for agriculture. There is an opportunity in growing food on barren land. Arborea believes that “photosynthetic microorganisms” will be a key choice for the production of food ingredients. Photosynthetic microorganisms are the fastest-growing primary producers of food in nature, and they produce the same ingredients as plant crops, without environmental constraints and pollution. They yield up to 40x time more proteins than plant crops in a single acre of land. Furthermore, they don’t need agricultural feedstock like cane sugar, they don’t need soil, don’t produce nitrogen runoffs, consume little water, don’t promote deforestation or loss of biodiversity. The “BioSolar Leaf” is a membrane-driven breathing-bioreactor® technology that enables a hyper-efficient gas transfer and temperature control while maintaining optimal growth conditions. In doing so, it creates a radically more effective food production platform resulting in a capital-light, scalable solution that slashes the costs of fermentation.
Locations: UK
Sector: Renewables & Environment
Website: Arborea
