Goal is to establish four full-scale plants by 2033, processing 160,000 tons of waste annually and producing 120,000 tons of fish feed, valued at €175 million.
A new EU-funded project, SynoProtein, aims to convert low-value residual products from the forestry industry into high-value raw materials for fish feed.
Traditional fish feed production, mainly from soybeans and wild fish protein, poses environmental challenges such as high energy consumption, carbon emissions, and land/water use.
Researchers are investigating bacteria to convert carbon into single-cell protein, providing an eco-friendly alternative, according to a press release issued on Wednesday.
Led by WAI Environmental Solutions, the project involves transforming forestry waste into biochar and protein for fish feed. The goal is to establish four full-scale plants by 2033, processing 160,000 tons of waste annually and producing 120,000 tons of fish feed, valued at €175 million.
The consortium, comprising eleven partners from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Germany, plans to scale up processes from lab testing to pilot plants. The project aims to capture and treat almost all CO2 emissions, fostering a sustainable business model.
It anticipates halving production costs, saving €129.6 million by 2033, and creating 260 jobs, while reducing Europe’s reliance on imported feed.
