The IDEAL project converted a conventional chemical industry site into a vibrant industrial ecosystem, through the retrofitting of abandoned lands into a microalgae production and biorefinery unit. The project implemented the circular economy concepts and enabled local synergies between the old and the new industries, including effluents recycling, benefiting the local environment and the communities in the long-term. The industrial symbiosis led to the creation of jobs and sustainable growth.
Regional
Portugal
Vila Franca de Xira Municipality, Lisbon district
Mainly urban
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
Yes
EMFF : European Maritime and Fisheries Fund
The project was funded by the Portuguese Operational Programme MAR2020, that substantiates the support and use of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund
(EMFF) in Portugal.
No
Yes
2022-12-31
As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): A4F Algafuel SA Type of organisation: For-profit company First name of representative: Laura Last name of representative: Monteiro Gender: Female Nationality: Portugal Function: Senior R&D Project Manager Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Estrada do Paço do Lumiar Campus do Lumiar, Ed. E – R/C Town: Lisboa Postal code: 1649 038 Country: Portugal Direct Tel:+351 911 708 113 E-mail:laura.monteiro@a4f.pt Website:http://www.a4f.pt/
IDEAL project is the accomplishment of A4F’s vision on the potential of microalgae as a key component in the creation of industrial ecosystems, for the production of sustainable, healthy and affordable bio-products, while recycling industrial waste streams (e.g., CO2 emissions, liquid effluents) and retrofitting old industrial sites, establishing true symbiosis with benefits for the existing industries and local communities in pleasant and inclusive environments.
A4F developed an appealing business case for the creation of a microalgae production facility within an existing industrial site in need for modernization and invigoration. The case was presented to investors, who created Green Aqua Póvoa Company for its implementation. The project started in January 2017, partially funded by the European Commission, and counted with A4F for the design and building of modern photobioreactors for colourful microalgae production, and for the development of an advanced biorefinery for the extraction of valuable ingredients from the algal biomass. The project took place at the industrial site of Póvoa de Santa Iria, in Vila Franca de Xira municipality, (Lisbon’s metropolitan area). Local stakeholders (e.g., the chemical company Solvay Portugal located in the industrial site; the municipality; technology providers; R&D partners) were engaged in the project from the beginning and a true industrial ecosystem was developed. The established ecosystem relies on the circularity of resources, enabled by microalgae, that are able to use carbon dioxide from gaseous emissions and to recycle nitrogen and phosphorous from liquid industrial effluents. Energy and water resources are now managed in the site in an integrated way. By the end of the project implementation phase, the largest microalgae cultivation unit in Europe, of 10 ha of productive area, was built and running, creating more than 40 new jobs and supplying healthy food and feed ingredients to European market.
Algae
Industrial Symbiosis
Bio-Industry
Green Jobs
CO2 consumption
IDEAL’s key sustainability objectives were: 1) to use only sunlight for the production of microalgae, not resorting to artificial light; 2) to install a photovoltaic park of 2 MW to locally produce and consume renewable electricity for production processes, while assuring that production processes are energy efficient; 3) to capture CO2 emissions from the local industry and to convert 2000 ton/year of CO2 into high value products through microalgae cultivation and processing; 4) to recycle industrial liquid effluents and locally available brine for microalgae cultivation, avoiding the consumption of potable water from the public supply system; 5) to recover the water from the microalgae harvesting process and to reuse it in the formulation of the cultivation media; 6) to produce new and healthy ingredients for food and feed applications, making use of unproductive lands, not competing for arable land.
Overall, the sustainability objectives have been met but some particular objectives are still in progress. The microalgae biomass is actually being produced relying in sunlinght, carbon dioxide and available local effluents, in optimised processes for the best use of water and energy, assuring its sustainability in the long term. The microalgae and its ingredients (e.g., omega-3 rich oils and protein extracts of high quality for food supplements and functional foods) are currently being produced in the former unproductive ponds, thus not requiring arable lands. However, the implementation of the foreseen photovoltaic park of 2 MWh for the production of renewable energy is still ongoing. On the other hand, current projects on digitalization and automation of processes are being carried out that will lead to improvements in the overall energy efficiency of the industrial site in the near future.
For its suitability for assuring the long-term sustainability of the proposed solution, IDEAL is an exemplary project regarding environmental and economic sustainability.
IDEAL’s key objective in terms of aesthetics was to retrofit the abandoned brine ponds into a modern and colourful microalgae production area, bringing aesthetic considerations to the industrial site. In particular, IDEAL’s goal was to develop a bio-based industrial setup based on modern transparent photobioreactors for a new type of industry that considers people’s quality of experience and aesthetics along with the technical considerations. Such goal was completely achieved, as the old abandoned site is now full of tubular reactors and modern cascade raceways were microalgae of different colours, predominantly green, orange and red, grow in flowing waters. The slow water flows in the raceway ponds and the bubbling gases in the reactors offer a sense of calm to those working or visiting the site, giving rise to positive emotions to people. In addition to the professionals working on the site, the place is frequently visited by a broad range of people, either professors and researchers from academy or businessmen and engineers from finance and technological sectors. All of those often report on the quality of experience that is provided when visiting the algae cultivation site.
In addition, the historical background of the site was taken into account in the whole project concept. As the old ponds used to be a place for the local children to play hide-and-seek in the past, the project intended to be open for the local community, specially to the local schools, providing the opportunity to both children and adults to visit the site and to share memories about the past and visions for the future. This goal was also totally accomplished as the site is often visited by local schools and universities.
The new industrial site, with the revamped ponds for microalgae cultivation is an example of revitalization of an industrial area that perfectly combined industry with aesthetic values.
One of the main objectives of the IDEAL project was to create new healthy, accessible and affordable products based on microalgae, an alternative and natural resource that is only now starting to be fully exploited. The IDEAL project was focused on the extraction of high-value ingredients from the biomass of microalgae, to make available omega-3 (particularly EPA)-rich oils and protein extracts of high quality for food supplements and functional foods, and feed ingredients for the fish aquaculture sector. This objective was reached, creating affordable and accessible microalgae-based products for all, not only in the local community, but ultimately for all European citizens. The inclusion pillar of the IDEAL project is extended also to education, since the industrial site is always open to visitors, with guided tours for schools and universities, and frequent workshops and courses to train new people in the art of producing microalgae. Overall, the IDEAL project creates a new societal model, based on the production of microalgae, that generates new green jobs, affordable and accessible products, and recycles industry wastes, within an industrial ecosystem that has boosted the local community and that could be replicated in other similar regions.
IDEAL project has brought several benefits not only for the citizens of Vila Franca de Xira Municipality but for all European citizens, thanks to the available new microalgae-based products which are sustainable, healthy, with high nutritional benefits, accessible and affordable to all. During the implementation of the IDEAL project, new green jobs were directly created and new businesses arose. Green Aqua Póvoa, itself, has created 40 jobs, 65% of them for highly educated people. The combination of skilled job creation and industrial restoring had a tremendous impact on the local economy, leading to the implementation of small businesses inside the industrial site and in the peripheral regions. These businesses further boosted job creation indirectly linked to the development of IDEAL project. Beyond job creation, the project has had a great impact on education, with several schools visiting the site every year since its implementation to observe and learn more about the microalgae growing on the photobioreactors, while protecting the environment by capturing CO2 from the atmosphere. A great example is the Alenquer’s High School, in a neighbouring region, that after visiting the site, has started working on finding funding for implementing the equipment and materials required for their students to perform small cultivation experiments with microalgae, given the interest that it has triggered in the students. The Alenquer’s High School was recently awarded with a prize for implementing this small project on the school and A4F is currently guiding its implementation. Moreover, A4F and Green Aqua Póvoa have received university students and host different workshops and courses to boost the knowledge on microalgae growth, allowing further education of highly trained people to work on the field.
Stakeholders at local, national and European level have been engaged in the design and implementation of IDEAL, providing multiple valuable inputs that contributed for the success of the project.
At the design stage, the project indirectly received support from A4F’s research and development partners, as IDEAL project started with a business plan created in the framework of FP7 BIOFAT project. The EU project counted with the participation of R&D institutes and companies from 7 countries, all contributing for the technology validation behind microalgae production and processing in a sustainable and efficient way. Also, it was A4F’s engagement with the right investors at national level that enabled the foundation of the new company, Green Aqua Póvoa, allowing the project funding and, thus, its implementation. At the local level, the idea of building an industrial ecosystem was embraced by the existing chemical industry (former Solvay Portugal), that saw an opportunity for improving its own long-term sustainability. In addition, the municipality saw the project as the necessary step for upgrading the industrial site and for bringing new business and employment opportunities to the region. Hence, the municipality supported the project implementation from the beginning, as stated in the support letter attached. A significant involvement of citizens, schools and small businesses has been observed since the implementation started, demonstrating curiosity and interest in the new developments in the old industrial site, that used to be the major employer in the region in the 20th century. So far, the site has received much attention from the press and social media and has been visited by all sort of stakeholders, including local and national authorities (the local mayor and the minister for science and technology can be seen in the pictures attached) and international clients, being recognized as a lighthouse for microalgae production in industrial symbiosis settings.
For the design and implementation of the IDEAL project, a range of different knowledge fields were necessary and professionals with different backgrounds had to combine expertise and to work together. Experts in biology, chemistry and engineering were responsible for the design and building of the microalgae production unit. A combination of financial, marketing and human resources specialists allowed the successful start of the new company Green Aqua. A4F, Green Aqua and HyChem experts in circular economy worked together in the assessment and establishment of the circularity principles, identifying the best approaches in a life-cycle perspective. At the implementation stage, a team of specialists in management and communication worked closely with the external stakeholders (e.g., the local municipality, universities) for the successful dissemination of the project results and for collecting valuable inputs for the project development. Experts in business development, together with the engineers from the different companies, are currently collaborating on the identification of businesses opportunities that assure the sustainable growth of the industrial activities in the site. Also, frequent collaboration with the scientific community ensures the training of new researchers and technicians that will support the project success in the long-term. The clear multi-disciplinarity behind the IDEAL project shows the importance of working together, creating unity for the development of a sustainable and beautiful project with clear benefits for the society and the environment.
The IDEAL project results brought direct and indirect positive impacts to a broad range of beneficiaries. One of the most important direct results of the project is the creation of a new company, Green Aqua Póvoa and the associated new green and skilled jobs. The company produces the microalgae Nannochloropsis and microalgae-sourced ingredients, and has an estimated sales volume of 8 M€/year. While contributing to climate change mitigation by consuming CO2, Green Aqua Póvoa activities boosted the local economy through the creation of direct and indirect jobs.
Other important project result is the establishment of an industrial ecosystem, with the establishment of circularity principles within the site, with clear benefits for the local environment and for the sustainability of the existing companies. The industrial ecosystem benefits from improved use of water resources and gaseous emissions, that are now recycled and converted to new products through microalgae cultivation and biorefining.
Also, the retrofitting of the old abandoned ponds into a new and beautiful bio-based productive area significantly improved the aesthetics of the area, contributing to the urban regeneration and improving local well-being.
The IDEAL project will continue to have impact in the medium and long terms either on the local and regional communities, by enabling the development of new businesses and the creation of direct and indirect jobs, as well as at a European level, by the demonstration of a replicable concept that can transform and revitalize underexploited industrial sites elsewhere.
The innovative character of the IDEAL project relies on the three main pillars of its implementation process. Firstly, the IDEAL project corresponds to the creation of a sustainable solution for bringing new, healthy, sustainable and affordable products based on microalgae for European citizens, through the implementation of an industrial symbiosis that brings environmental benefits by the adoption of circularity principles – SUSTAINABLE. On the other hand, the project’s innovative character also relies on the combination of different disciplines and points of view, due to the involvement of stakeholders from various sectors and fields. Only by the combined efforts of many people of different expertise was possible to implement the IDEAL project - TOGETHER. Finally, the project has relied on the implementation of technology allied with design principles for the microalgae production in modern photobioreactors of different configurations, installed in the former ponds, ruled by aesthetic and sustainability principles – BEAUTIFUL.
The approach used for the design and implementation of IDEAL was based on the technological and economical validation of the microalgae solution when produced in industrial symbiosis context. This started with the previous FP7 BIOFAT project and continued throughout IDEAL. The design of the new production area in the former ponds was carried out by A4F, based on solid knowledge on light distribution and its use by microalgae in photobioreactors, for an optimal use of the available sunlight in the modern photobioreactors. A4F built and started the operation of the unit and trained Green Aqua Póvoa staff. A4F carried out the optimization of the operations and the knowledge transfer to the new company. With the help of A4F, Green Aqua Póvoa developed a new biorefinery within the industrial site of Póvoa de Santa Iria, for the extractions of valuable ingredients for food and feed applications.
The subsequent phase relied in the implementation of an industrial symbiosis by establishing connections with Hychem, a chemical industry producing sodium chlorate for the pulp and paper industry, whose effluents (CO2 and liquid nitrogen- and phosphorus-rich effluents) were not recovered at the time. The three companies, A4F, Green Aqua Póvoa and HyChem developed analysis to the site effluents, water and energy flows, and together ascertain the plan to transform the industries in an industrial ecosystem. At the same time, many interactions with the local society were established, either for business development or for engaging with the stakeholders. IDEAL approach was to boost the local economy, improving the life of people with the availability of new jobs, new courses, higher education and new, healthy and sustainable products.
The beauty behind the IDEAL project is its potential to be completely or partially replicated in other regions of the country, Europe or worldwide, that have similar conditions. The microalgae technology can be implemented in any region with enough area and suitable meteorological conditions, not having to compete with food crops for arable land. In addition, other regions where CO2 and nitrogen-rich effluents emitting industries are located can replicate the IDEAL microalgae solution, creating other industrial ecosystems based on circularity principles, recycling industry wastes and providing sustainable microalgae products for the society. The whole concept, of industry revitalization by the establishment of industrial symbiosis with new bio-based activities for the provision of greener products and services can be replicated elsewhere.
In fact, many different stakeholders frequently visit the site, interested in the sustainable and economically feasible solution implemented and its replication potential in other sites. One of the visiting companies, SaalBio, is currently implementing a microalgae production unit in South Africa, with the help of A4F, demonstrating the replicability of the concept.
One of the most urgent global challenges the project addresses is the increase of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions around the globe. Microalgae cultivation is a technically and economically viable solution for CO2 consumption and fixation in valuable biomass, that can be installed at GHG emitting industries. This solution has been implemented locally in Póvoa de Santa Iria industrial site, where microalgae cultivation in photobioreactors can consume up to 2000 ton/year of CO2. Another environmental urgent matter at the planet scale is the water management and pollution control. The industrial symbiosis developed by the IDEAL project has allowed the implementation of circular solutions, where effluents from industries with high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus are treated by microalgae, who consume these nutrients, resulting in improved microalgae growth and treated water. The water is 90% recycled within microalgae cultivation, allowing an efficient management of water during production. These solutions and circularity principles are great examples of local solutions that significantly help in tackling global challenges and that have a great potential to be replicated in other sites.
