UNLOCK
An insects biorefinery approach as a strategy to unlock the nutritional and energy potential in co-located lignocellulosic industrial side streams
Project team: Paul Christakopoulos (project leader), Io Antonopoulou, Leonidas Matsakas, Ulrika Rova, Omprakash Sarkar
Partners: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; SunPine; Bottenvikens bryggeri; Bodens utveckling AB; Hushållningssällskapet i Norrbotten-Västerbotten
Duration: 2023-2027
Funded by the Swedish Energy Agency
In the UNLOCK project, we are addressing the EU's RED II Directive by repurposing Brewer's Spent Grain (BSG) into advanced biofuels and high-quality animal feed. Through innovative biotechnological processes, we will harness the potential of the fungus Neurospora crassa and Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) by converting BSG's structural polysaccharides into valuable fat and protein resources. This transformative process involves Solid-State Culture technology and Solid-State Enzymatic Hydrolysis to efficiently break down BSG into fermentable sugars, which serve as a nutrient source for BSFL. The resulting fats from the larvae will be refined into a fatty acid stream, ready for integration into existing oil refineries to produce biodiesel.
Key objectives of the project include achieving a conversion rate of over 50% of BSG into larval fat and attaining an efficiency of more than 90% in the extraction of fat and protein. Moreover, UNLOCK targets a significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by up to 20% compared to conventional methods.
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