Environmental Impacts of Large-Scale Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) Production in Hellisheidi Geothermal Park Iceland : Life Cycle Assessment

• Published in: Marine Biotechnology
• Main Authors: Tzachor, Asaf, Smidt-Jensen, Asger, Ramel, Alfons, Geirsdóttir, Margrét
• Other Authors: Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2022
• Subjects: Alternative protein; Carbon neutrality; Environmental impact; Life cycle assessment; Photobioreactors; Spirulina; Carbon/metabolism; Ammonia/metabolism; Vitamins/metabolism; Biomass; Amino Acids; Essential/metabolism; Iceland; Fertilizers; Life Cycle Stages; Carbon Dioxide/metabolism; Animals; Water/metabolism; Cattle; Environment; Aquatic Science; Biotechnology
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11815/3748; https://doi.org/10.1007/s10126-022-10162-8

Funding Information: For supporting this study with information and advice, authors would like to thank Ms. Berglind Rán Ólafsdóttir, CEO, ON Power, Iceland; Mr. Kristinn Haflidason, General Manager of Vaxa Iceland; Mr. Tryggvi Jónsson, Mannvit Consulting Engineering, Iceland; and, Mr. Christian Honisch, Mannvit Consulting Engineering, Iceland. The authors thank Ms. Kristina Atanasova for designing the graphical abstract and figures for this article. Publisher Copyright: © 2022, The Author(s). Spirulina algae (Spirulina platensis) cultivated in geothermally powered photobioreactors is here proposed as a potentially resource efficient, zero-carbon, and nutritious alternative to conventional beef meat. Employing a standard life cycle assessment, environmental impacts of large-scale Spirulina production in this facility are calculated. The production facility is sited in Orka náttúrunnar (ON Power) Geothermal Park, Iceland, and benefits from resource streams accessible through Hellisheiði (Hellisheidi) power station, including renewable electricity for illumination and power usage, hot and cold water streams for thermal management, freshwater for cultivation, and CO 2 for biofixation. During cultivation, GHG-intensive ammonia-based fertilizers are replaced with macronutrients sourced from natural open mines. LCA results show that production of 1 kg of wet edible biomass in this facility requires 0.0378 m 2 non-arable land, 8.36 m 3 fresh water and is carbon neutral with - 0.008 CO 2-eq GHG emissions (net zero). Compared with conventionally produced meat from beef cattle, Spirulina algae cultured in the ON Power Geothermal Park, referred to in this study as GeoSpirulina, requires less than 1% land and water and emits less than 1% GHGs. Considering food and nutritional security concerns, cultivation in a controlled environment agriculture system assures consistent nutritional profile year-round. Moreover, GeoSpirulina biomass assessed in this study contains all essential amino acids as well as essential vitamins ...