TAGS: Sustainability / Natural Solutions Science-based Formulation
VTT is coordinating a two-year research project involving the University of Jyväskylä, Neste and seven Finnish SMEs, jointly addressing some of the bottlenecks in large-scale algal cultivation.
Project ROBA- Robust Algae Systems, funded by Business Finland, aims to tackle hurdles to create economically feasible algae processes through a combination of modelling, advanced measurement technology, bioprocess engineering, machine learning and synthetic biology.
Microalgae as Renewable Raw Material
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Microalgae are one of the potential renewable and scalable future raw materials that Neste is developing, with the aim to expand our renewable raw material pool to support future growth of renewables production,” explains Jason Michael Blake, vice president of innovation, business platform aviation feedstock, at Neste.
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We are also looking for all possible solutions to reduce emissions in order to meet our ambitious goal of carbon neutral production by 2035,” adds Blake. One bottleneck in algae cultivations to be addressed is monitoring of contamination, which currently is a challenge in large-scale processes and can lead to loss of entire cultures.
In ROBA, a series of optical and other online methods will be explored. The measurement technologies to be developed in the project will be applicable also for other biotechnological processes.
Machine Learning Provides Complete Picture
Machine learning promises to take process monitoring even one step further, by combining various information received from the process into a more complete picture.
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Industrial biotechnology is becoming more and more an important part of sustainable industrial practices. Our aim is to develop intensification methods for large-scale algal cultivation. Innovative measurement and monitoring technologies will help us to move towards efficient and economically feasible production processes,” says Mervi Toivari, principal scientist at VTT technical research center of Finland.
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This is a new opening to develop a novel on-site observer and computational methods for the needs of microalgae biotechnology. The Spectral Imaging Laboratory at the University of Jyväskylä focuses on developing a non-invasive monitoring method based on hyperspectral imager technology,” says Pauliina Salmi, postdoctoral researcher from University of Jyväskylä.
Source: VTT