SABANA · Project

Algae-Based Biorefinery Turns Wastewater Into Crop Boosters and Fish Feed

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Imagine taking sewage and pig manure — stuff nobody wants — and feeding it to tiny algae grown in seawater. Those algae then get turned into products that help crops grow better, fight pests naturally, and feed fish in aquaculture farms. The team built a massive 5-hectare outdoor demonstration facility in Spain to prove this works at industrial scale, with zero waste left over. It's essentially turning a disposal problem into a product factory.

By the numbers

5 ha

Demonstration-scale biorefinery operated

5000 m2

Open reactor units scaled up

Consortium partners across the value chain

Countries involved in validation

Total project deliverables produced

Zero-waste

Target process efficiency achieved

The business problem

What needed solving

Agriculture and aquaculture depend heavily on chemical fertilizers, synthetic pesticides, and expensive protein sources like fishmeal — all of which face rising costs and tightening EU regulations. Meanwhile, municipalities and farms spend millions treating wastewater and disposing of manure with no return on that investment. There is a growing need for sustainable biological alternatives that can replace chemicals in crop protection and animal feed while turning waste streams into revenue.

The solution

What was built

A large-scale algae biorefinery demonstrated at up to 5 hectares, with open reactor units scaled to 5000 m2 and validated in real outdoor conditions. The system produces biostimulants, biopesticides, feed additives, biofertilizers, and aquafeed from microalgae grown on marine water and wastewater nutrients, operating as a zero-waste process.

Audience

Who needs this

Biostimulant and biopesticide manufacturers looking for algae-based product linesAquafeed producers seeking sustainable alternatives to fishmealMunicipal wastewater treatment operators wanting to monetize waste streamsAgricultural cooperatives interested in biological crop protectionBiorefinery developers and investors targeting the algae bioeconomy

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Agriculture & Crop Protection

mid-size

Target: Biostimulant and biopesticide manufacturers or distributors

If you are a crop protection company looking for sustainable alternatives to chemical pesticides and synthetic fertilizers — this project developed algae-based biostimulants and biopesticides validated in real outdoor reactors at scales up to 5000 m2. The products boost crop yields using natural biological agents instead of chemicals. With the EU pushing to cut chemical pesticide use, this gives you a market-ready product line backed by 5 years of demonstration data.

Aquaculture & Fish Farming

any

Target: Aquafeed producers and fish farming operations

If you are an aquafeed manufacturer struggling with rising costs of fishmeal and soybean protein — this project created microalgae-based feed additives and aquafeed tested at demonstration scale. The feed is produced from algae grown on marine water and wastewater nutrients, cutting raw material costs. With 15 consortium partners including 6 industry players validating the process, this is not a lab experiment but a proven production method.

Wastewater Treatment & Nutrient Recovery

enterprise

Target: Municipal and industrial wastewater treatment operators

If you are a wastewater utility paying to dispose of sewage, centrate, or animal manure — this project demonstrated how to recover nutrients from those waste streams using microalgae at a 5-hectare demonstration centre. Instead of spending money on treatment and disposal, you turn wastewater into a feedstock for valuable bioproducts. The zero-waste process was validated with real outdoor reactors across 5 countries.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to set up an algae biorefinery like this?

The project data does not include specific capital or operating cost figures. However, the demonstration was built at scales up to 5 hectares using thin-layer cascade and raceway reactors, which are among the lowest-cost open cultivation systems. Contact the consortium for detailed techno-economic assessments from their 5-year operation.

Has this been tested at industrial scale or only in the lab?

This went well beyond the lab. The consortium scaled up open reactor units to 5000 m2 and operated a full Demonstration Centre at up to 5-hectare scale. Validation was done in real outdoor reactors, not controlled laboratory conditions. This is an Innovation Action specifically designed to prove industrial viability.

What about intellectual property and licensing?

With 15 partners across 5 countries — including 6 industry partners and 2 SMEs — IP is likely shared across the consortium under EU grant agreements. Licensing arrangements for the biorefinery technology, cultivation methods, and bioproduct formulations would need to be negotiated with the coordinating university (Universidad de Almería) and relevant partners.

What bioproducts can actually be produced from this system?

The biorefinery produces five product categories: biostimulants (boost crop growth), biopesticides (natural pest control), feed additives, biofertilizers, and aquafeed. All are derived from microalgae-bacteria consortia grown on marine water with nutrients recovered from sewage, centrate, and pig manure.

Does this meet EU environmental regulations?

The project was specifically designed around EU priorities for nutrient recovery and sustainable agriculture. It uses marine water instead of freshwater, recovers nutrients from waste streams, and achieves zero-waste operation. Environmental impact assessments were part of the Demonstration Centre operations.

How long has this technology been running in real conditions?

The project ran for 5 years (2016-2021) with outdoor demonstration operations. The Demonstration Centre was built to assess long-term operating characteristics, meaning the technology has been stress-tested across multiple seasons and weather conditions in southern Spain.

Consortium

Who built it

The 15-partner consortium across 5 countries (Spain, Germany, Italy, Czech Republic, Hungary) is well-balanced for commercialization: 6 industry partners (40% of the team) alongside 5 universities and 3 research organizations. The 2 SMEs in the mix signal that smaller companies already see market potential. The coordinator, Universidad de Almería in southern Spain, is a leading European center for microalgae research with ideal climate conditions for outdoor cultivation. The mix of academic depth and industrial presence means the technology has been developed with real production constraints in mind, not just theoretical performance.

UNIVERSIDAD DE ALMERIACoordinator · ES
GEA WESTFALIA SEPARATOR GROUP GMBHparticipant · DE
UNIVERSIDAD DE LAS PALMAS DE GRAN CANARIAparticipant · ES
Fondazione Parco Tecnologico Padanothirdparty · IT
HIDROTEC TECNOLOGIA DEL AGUA SLthirdparty · ES
SZECHENYI ISTVAN EGYETEMparticipant · HU
CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHEthirdparty · IT
KARLSRUHER INSTITUT FUER TECHNOLOGIEparticipant · DE
A.I.A. AGRICOLA ITALIANA ALIMENTARE S.P.A.participant · IT
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI MILANOparticipant · IT
MIKROBIOLOGICKY USTAV AV CR V.V.Iparticipant · CZ
FCC AQUALIA SAparticipant · ES
CIB-CONSORZIO ITALIANO BIOGAS E GASSIFICAZIONEparticipant · IT

How to reach the team

The coordinator is Universidad de Almería (Spain). SciTransfer can facilitate a direct introduction to the project team.

Order a report on this consortium See UNIVERSIDAD DE ALMERIA profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing, partnership, or technology transfer from SABANA? SciTransfer connects businesses with EU research teams — contact us for a tailored introduction.

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