COCPIT´s ambition is to enhance the SAF production chain by bringing ground-breaking innovations at each thread of it. It aims also to provide investors with a human centred decision tool in a "test before invest" spirit with a high confidence level to de-risk investments. A lipid rich microalgae strain is cultivated in an intensified reactor coupled to semi-transparent photovoltaic panels transforming harmful light spectrum into electrical power. The transformation of algal biomass into SAF is studied using two alternative pathways: The most mature one, HEFA, and a very promising one HTL. The project focuses on the circularity, productivity, sustainability and economic viability of the chain. For HEFA pathway, efficient, low impact and regenerable ionic liquids are used to extract lipids and to catalyse hydrotreatment. For HTL pathway, a continuous reactor, tailored to SAF production from the chosen strain is designed and constructed to reduce clogging issues and to size with higher precision the heat exchangers. Furthermore, the mechanistic models that are developed and used in the design increase the scalability of the HTL. Biocrude upgrading is led to give a high flexibility between SAF and shipping fuel production. The system is designed in a circular way to reduce by-products, feed system with endogenous hydrogen, recirculate nutrients and reduce its water intensiveness. The whole integrated system is simulated with Unism software and all technical, economical, environmental and life cycle indicators are calculated under the COCPIT decision tool and typical scenarios are compiled. The decision tool is delivered within a marketplace that puts at investor’s service a range of required technological solutions, equipment and skills. It helps them also to choose the best technology that fits their project specificities. The ambition of this tool is to continue growing up after the end of the project to include all certified and promising SAF production pathways.

In the past recent years, tensions have appeared on the asphalt supply for road construction, since cracking of heavy petroleum distillation residues to produce gasoline has become economically competitive due to the high level of the crude oil market. Moreover, the processing conditions of some oxidized bitumen for waterproofing have been recently classified as potentially carcinogen. As a consequence, it is of high importance for the future that France, which hosts most of the leading companies in the road construction area, anticipates the development of novel technologies to produce alternative binders to petroleum-based bitumen. In this context, the main objective of Algoroute is to identify, in a medium- to long-term perspective, some processes to valorize biomass residues (from agriculture, food industry…) to anticipate the future tensions on the petroleum market. In this study, microalgae residues will be used as a model system. Indeed, - this biomass feedstock has now been investigated for decades, due to significant benefits over other biomass sources (i.e. cellulosic), including low competition for arable land, high per hectare biomass yields, and large harvesting turnovers. Numerous research studies are conducting to produce microalgae biomass for energy and feeding applications and the development of this technology is very likely to result in the production of significant amounts of waste (i.e. the non-valorized solid residues of microalgae). - the wide variety of microalgae will allow to screen an important chemical diversity. These residues, generated after a first valorization, will be easily accessible because one of the partner is a company specialized in the production and valorization of microalgae. In that context, hydrothermal liquefaction has been identified as a relevant process to transform biomass residues into bio-sourced road binders with controlled thermochemical and physicochemical properties. The work packages present in the Algoroute proposal will address the main scientific and technical challenges, to make then possible the development of a viable large scale industrial process. This includes (1) a detailed understanding of physical and chemical phenomena taking place during the hydrothermal liquefaction process, and their influence on the rheological behavior of the resulting hydrophobic material, as a function of the nature of the initial biomass residues (2) the multi-criteria optimization of the experimental conditions for the production of bio-bitumen suitable for paving. In summary, the Algoroute proposal is very innovating since biomass residues are proposed to produce alternative binders, for the first time worldwide. The objective is to valorize a microalgae by-product, as a model system, by developing the understanding and control of the hydrothermal liquefaction process which is considered as a key enabling technology for this sector. Based on the results of the project other categories of biomass residues might be considered.

Today there are only market opportunities for high value applications due to production costs, which are still too high to make microalgae a competitive feedstock for commodities. There is presently a large production capacity for a limited number of microalgae strains in Europe. However, the number of concrete products and market applications is still limited. The enlargement of current market applications for high-value microalgae ingredients will lead to new business opportunities, industrialize the technology and provide the knowledge and experience required to enter the medium- low value market within 5-10 years. MAGNIFICENT will expand the range of commercial products and their market volume substantially and in a sustainable manner. The overall objective of the project is to develop and validate a sustainable and economically feasible new value chain based on cultivation and processing, with the aim to transform microalgae biomass into valuable ingredients for food, aquafeed and cosmetics applications. Development and validation of new product formulations of microalgae are included in the project To achieve this, optimization will be done: 1) Upstream, cultivation related processes via adaptation and selection of algae varieties, improvement of growing conditions and target product concentration in the cell and 2) downstream process steps (separation, extraction, purification) in order to achieve the overall aim to maximise the production of compounds of interest (phospholipids rich in omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA and fucoxanthin as main molecules). The work will be supported by chain evaluation, market assessment, socio-economic impact assessment and LCA. Specific attention will be paid to the requirements of the existing EU regulatory framework. The MAGNIFICENT consortium has 16 partners from 7 EU countries incl. 10 SME's, 3 LE's, 1 University and 2 RTO's, and comprises commercial partners in the entire value chain and the 3 target markets.

ProFuture will set the basis for market uptake of innovative, healthy and sustainable food and feed products, reformulated with protein-rich ingredients from Spirulina, Lemon/lightly/Chlorella vulgaris, Tetraselmis chuii and Nannochloropsis oceanica. Multi-factors approach and LCA/LCC will boost sustainability of the microalgal biomass production and processing, by reducing energy/water consumption and the carbon footprint. Implementation of innovative technologies will increase the efficiency and decrease the production costs of biomass, ingredients and foods/feeds. Optimized workflows will be tested at pilot plant, as part of a biorefinery process, to produce single-cell proteins and protein isolates, which will be characterized for their nutritional, safety, techno-functional and organoleptic properties as well as for economic viability & sustainability. Food and feed will be formulated with the novel ingredients at pilot plant level in collaboration with SME and large companies. Single-cell proteins will be incorporated in foods (n=6) and feeds (n=5) which will be produced at industrial scale. The food/feed microalgae value chain in EU will be analysed and improvements will be proposed to increase the economic viability and the communication between actors. Social and economic benefits of innovative food and feed products will be demonstrated by: i) supporting the authorization of novel microalgae protein ingredients for food and/or feed applications in the EU, ii) assessing consumer acceptance of and preference for microalgae protein-based products, iii) preparing a successful market implementation and exploitation of the project results and iv) devising a dissemination and communication plan for maximum outreach to all relevant stakeholders. ProFuture consortium (8 RTDs, 16 SMEs, 8 large industries and 1 association) brings together expertise with a clear market orientation to increase the competitiveness of the EU microalgae value chain.