Various systems (biologic, photoelectrochemical, electrochemical and bioelectrochemical) will be evaluated and smart reactor design will be combined with process improvements. Targeted are microbial contamination control strategies, the increase solar to chemical energy conversion efficiencies, and improved algal strains to generate lipid superproducers will facilitate extraction, followed by innovative purification and hydro-processing technology to deliver the fuels. Enhanced sustainability of the developed fuels is also based on a circular bio economy approach by using waste streams and about 80% of residual biomass generate in the ALGAESOL value chain will be re-circulated as input for the conversion process.

The economic and environmental, as well as social sustainability will guide the design and scale-up at process level and for the whole value chain in alignment with the European Green Deal priorities. Used will be computational modelling and process simulations, Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), Life Cycle Costs (LCC), and Social Life Cycle Analysis (S-LCA) as well as practical engineering approaches. Through this approach is the overall reduction of the environmental impact when producing biofuels expected to be about 20% relative to today’s processes. The project will reinforce the European scientific basis, technology leadership and competitiveness through international collaborations.

The goal will be achieved by consistently pursuing the following objectives:

• To improve efficiency of converting solar energy and CO2 into methane and CH3OH, using a zero-waste approach, by developing and improving cutting-edge BES technology.
• To improve efficiency of converting solar energy and CO2 into microalgal lipids through microalgal pathways or photosynthetic bioconversion. Lipids are suitable for biofuel production, by developing cutting edge bioelectrochemical technologies, combined with improved algal strains and protocols for algal production, harvesting and lipid extraction.
• To improve purification yield and quality of biofuels from algal lipids, CH4 and CH3OH.
• To ensure enhanced sustainability (environmental, economic, social) of the developed fuels and market penetration through novel simulation approaches and sustainability assessments.