A4F joins international consortium - REDwine
Source: a4f
CO2 released in red wine fermentation enhances the production of food-grade algae
A4F - Algae for Future is committed, together with a dozen partners gathered in a consortium, in the development of the REDwine project, which started in May through an international meeting (organized in hybrid format, with a mix of participants physically present and others participating online).
The designation of the project is suggestive, but it doesn't let you see the scope of the apparently strange connection between algae and red wine. So, what does REDwine consist of? In demonstrating the technical, economic and environmental feasibility of integrating both the gas (rich in CO2, carbon dioxide) released in the fermentation of red wine and the liquid effluent from the winery in the production of biomass and extracts of Chlorella, a unicellular green microalga.
The solution could reduce at least 31 percent the CO2 emissions of the wine value chain, while providing a diversification of revenues for wine producers, who will value Chlorella biomass as a product for human consumption, cosmetics and agricultural purposes.
Mariana Doria, Innovation Manager at A4F, explains the innovative nature of this idea: "We are facing a perfect example of the application of the circular economy concept - wine effluents will provide the opportunity to generate new products that will further enhance the core business”.
In the scope of the REDwine project, explains Mariana Doria, “A4F will be responsible for installing a production unit on a demonstrative scale for the microalgae Chlorella, through the integration and recovery of gaseous and liquid effluents from wine production. And the company will also lead a technical and economic evaluation of microalgae cultivation systems in photobioreactors (PBRs), selecting the most suitable technologies for the project's success”.
The REDwine concept will be realized through the installation of a “Living Lab”, a demonstration unit for the production and biorefining of microalgae integrated in the winery.
This project, with a four-year horizon, is coordinated by AVIPE - Association of Wine Growers of the Municipality of Palmela and conducted by a consortium formed by 12 partners from six countries: A4F - Algae for the Future (PT), Technological Center LEITAT (ES), INLECOM (IE), LIPOTEC SA (ES), Lubrizol Life Science Beauty (US), ALGAMA Foods Ⓥ (FR), Pervatech BV (NL), Coldep (FR), NOVIS GmbH (DE), IDENER ( ES ), Polytechnic Institute of Setubal and LNEG - National Laboratory for Energy and Geology.