Solar Foods

History

2024: Opening of the world's first protein-from-air plant

At the end of April 2024, Solar Foods Stratap opened the world's first plant in Finland to produce nutrient-rich protein from the air. It is assumed that the proposed technology will help partially solve the problem of the food crisis.

According to UN estimates, in 2022, about 9.2% of the world's population suffered from hunger, compared with 7.9% in 2019. The food security situation has deteriorated significantly due to the COVID-19 pandemic and armed conflicts in various regions of the world. In 2022, a third of rural adults experienced moderate to severe food shortages, while in suburban areas this figure was 28.8%, and in urban areas - 26%. Nearly 600 million people are projected to suffer from chronic malnutrition by 2030.

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Solar Foods

It is noted that agriculture based on animal husbandry does not fully cope with the food crisis. In addition, such activities account for about 30% of greenhouse gas emissions and 70% of the total use of water on the planet. Plus, land degradation, pollution of waterways and intensive deforestation are observed. Proposed by Solar Foods, the technology produces a protein called Solein, which can then be used to produce a variety of foods, including dairy and meat substitutes.

The Solar Foods technique involves the use of single-celled microbes that feed on air (hydrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide) and produce a yellowish powder with a "light aroma and notes" of nutty taste. The capacity of the launched plant allows the production of up to 160 tons of Solein powder per year. In the future, it is planned to increase the scale of production.^[1]

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