ForFarmers, specialist in feed solutions for (organic) livestock farming and Remediiate, a company unlocking the power of microalgae, to convert CO2 into valuable animal feed, have signed a letter of intent for their collaboration in the UK. This collaboration focuses on growing microalgae that can capture industry CO2 emissions at scale that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere. By processing the microalgae into animal feed, the end product - the microalgae - adds value. This collaboration offers a double solution: it reduces CO2 emissions and creates a sustainable, circular solution for animal feed. ForFarmers is a knowledge partner in this project and its role is focused on the application of the microalgae in animal feed. This gives microalgae a valuable role in the food chain.
Reduced CO2 emissions
This project helps to reduce CO2 emissions of industries such as energy, cement, steel and petrochemicals, key industries targeted by Remediiate. Most CO2 emissions come from chemical reactions in production processes in these industries. It is often difficult and expensive to reduce these emissions because CO2 must be collected, purified, transported and stored. Direct use of CO2 at its source is an effective way to abate these industrial greenhouse gasses.
Carlos de Pommes, CEO Remediiate: “Our collaboration with ForFarmers is an important step towards sustainable innovation. With Project LightARC in Wales, we are now capturing CO2 emissions from nickel production to culture microalgae, and in partnership with ForFarmers we are exploring its application in animal feed. This project shows that together we can make a positive impact on both industry and the environment.”
Circular economy in the animal feed industry
The microalgae in the project are cultured to capture CO2 from industry. By using them in animal feed, they gain value and transform into protein for human consumption. Microalgae are an alternative source material that can help reduce the use of certain crops, such as soybean. They are rich in proteins, carbohydrates and oils, but as cultured here, they are not directly suitable for human consumption. That is why we call them a ‘circular raw material’ for animal feed.
Rob Kiers, COO ForFarmers: “This collaboration is an important step towards a more sustainable future and thus fits well with our mission For the Future of Farming. By using microalgae to sequester CO2 in the final product, we not only create value for our animal feed industry, but also contribute to a sustainable future. In addition, it is a step towards more circularity, one of the sustainability ambitions within our organisation.”
Future steps
The use of microalgae in animal feed has a lot of potential but needs further development. What is interesting about this collaboration is that Remediiate is already culturing microalgae at a large scale, transforming what used to be a niche industry into a significant market. It is going to make it really clear whether formulating microalgae in animal feed is possible. This will of course require the innovative steps in the field of nutrition, with ForFarmers playing an important role in making the microalgae suitable for use in feed. This collaboration could be an important step towards a more sustainable animal feed industry.