Nutrifarm: Sustainable, resilient microalgae-based feed for SMEs in Northern Sweden

The "NutriFarm" project aims to reform sustainable food production in the Arctic region by repurposing agricultural waste through novel practices driven by the Green Transition. In Northern Sweden, the food and agriculture industries could play a major role to boost the economy, if novel technologies for effectively managing and using waste byproducts could be developed.

About

The NutriFarm project supports Arctic-region SMEs in repurposing agricultural waste, enhancing sustainability in food production. Northern Sweden's rapeseed farming generates rapeseed cake (RC), often discarded due to anti-nutritional compounds, and brewer's spent grain (BSG), largely unused beyond composting. NutriFarm utilizes RC and BSG to produce nutrient-rich microalgal biomass as sustainable fish feed.

Microalgae, rich in essential proteins and omega-3 fatty acids (EPA, DHA), thrive on low-cost agrifood waste without competing for arable land. By employing mixotrophic or heterotrophic growth, biomass production can be cost-efficient and climate-resilient. Additionally, microalgae act as "biological batteries," storing excess energy from Northern Sweden's renewable sources.

Aligned with Boden's industrial symbiosis, NutriFarm plans to integrate a pilot microalgal cultivation facility powered by residual heat. This initiative reduces carbon footprints in aquaculture feed production, fostering regional economic growth, resource efficiency, and sustainability while contributing data for future scale-up.

Benefits to food and agriculture-based SMEs

The NutriFarm project supports sustainable feed production, health, nutrition, and waste reduction by valorizing agricultural side streams like rapeseed cake (RC) and brewer’s spent grain (BSG). These waste materials will be upgraded into high-value products, reducing their current low-value use as compost or fertilizer. This aligns with Sweden’s BioInnovation program to transition to a bioeconomy by 2050. By using microalgae for aquaculture feed, the project reduces the environmental footprint of traditional lipid production while addressing agricultural waste management. Collaborating with DC Farmers enables hydroponic cultivation and larvae farming, fostering new business opportunities and social responsibility.

Benefits for Northern Swedish feed industries

Boden is central to developing sustainable fish feed, integrating larvae farming with waste heat-powered facilities. A future pilot-scale microalgae cultivation unit will operate year-round, adapting to Northern Sweden’s extreme seasonal energy variations. Microalgae, with their ability to thrive under various growth modes, act as biological batteries, rapidly storing excess energy as biomass. Carbon- and nitrogen-rich waste streams from agro-food industries will further enhance their sustainability. NutriFarm’s innovations will benefit local SMEs, boosting resilience, sustainability, and competitiveness in feed production.

Goals

The project aims to develop a year-round process for producing microalgal biomass rich in proteins and lipids by employing mixotrophic cultivation in summer and heterotrophic cultivation in winter. By utilizing agricultural and brewery byproducts from local SMEs, it seeks to establish a pilot facility in Boden that leverages waste heat from local industries. The initiative focuses on enhancing fish feed with microalgae as a superior omega-3 source, improving feed quality for fish and livestock, and fostering regional economic growth through collaboration with local communities and SMEs. The findings will contribute to open-access research and sustainable bioeconomy development, paving the way for a pilot plant and new business opportunities.