Name:
Algae Biorefineries for Europe – D FACTORY

Developed by:
Spain, Israel (Production locations) Netherlands (Biomass harvesting)

Country(ies) involved:
Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain

Funding sources:
EU-FP7

General idea:
D-factory is a R&D project aiming to grow, bio-refine and commercialise
components developed from a unique
species of algae, Dunaliella, as a modern sustainable biorefinery

Description:
Dunaliela cultivated and properly handled and extracted, it can be used to create a high-value material, called 9-cis-β carotene. This specific type of carotene has a range of applications, the most and value-generating one being its pharmaceutical and medical uses. 9-cis-β-carotene has the potential to cure patients with eye diseases and skin conditions like psoriasis.By products can also be commercialised as food additives or animal feed. There is also notable interest from the pigment industry because 9-cis-β-carotene offers different
possibilities, notably as natural food colorants.The 9-cis-β carotene refined from Dunaliella is of higher quality than equivalents on the market, which explains its higher price. The main D-factory production is located in
Spain, but could be replicated in other locations with similar meteorological conditions.

TRL:
6. Technology demonstrated in relevant environment

Sources:
www.d-factoryalgae.eu https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211926420301132